Russell Crowe to star as TV chef Marco in film of his life
FIERY TV chef Marco Pierre White is to be immortalised on the big screen as he reveals he has agreed to a potentially lucrative deal for Oscar-winner Russell Crowe to write, direct and star in the film of his life.
‘I have just signed the deal,’ says Marco. ‘Russell has written the script, Russell’s company is producing it, Russell is directing it and Russell is playing the third or fourth Marco.
‘When they do a movie on your life, you don’t just have one Marco — I am nearly 60 years old.’
The Hell’s Kitchen presenter, who was the youngest and the first British chef to be awarded three Michelin stars, age 33, adds immodestly: ‘If there was anyone in Hollywood to play me, it would have to be Russell.’
The film was first mooted five years ago with Sir Ridley Scott due to direct and Michael Fassbender or Tom Hardy to play the lead.
‘I didn’t know Russell then,’ claims Marco. ‘I had never met him because [the idea for the film] all started with Ridley Scott, not with Russell.
‘But I thought to myself: “Actually, I think Russell Crowe should be playing me, not Michael Fassbender,” ’ he adds.
White thought twice before sharing his casting views with Scott at the time, admitting: ‘I can’t tell [him] how to suck eggs.
‘Shortly afterwards, Ridley came on board with Russell, so it was purely coincidental.’
The former bad boy of haute cuisine, who published his autobiography, The Devil In The Kitchen, in 2006, grew up on a Leeds council estate and left at the age of 16 to pursue his culinary dreams.
At 24, he became head chef and joint owner of Harveys, in Wandsworth, London, with kitchen staff that included Gordon Ramsay.
But the father of three, now 58, has turned over a new leaf. He is currently on a pre-Christmas health kick, which includes quitting drinking, and claims it’s helped him shed two stone in just over eight weeks.
Says Marco: ‘I never liked drink. I only started drinking at 41.’