Now that’s what we CALL method acting! Star moved into castle as he played king
STARS will tell you it’s the deep research and preparation you do before taking a role that can lead to a barnstorming performance.
For Oscar winner Robert de Niro, that meant putting on over four stone and fighting in real bouts to play the boxer Jake LaMotta in the 1981 film Raging Bull.
But now Hollywood heartthrob Christopher Pine has taken method acting to new heights – after choosing to live in a Scottish castle while he played Robert the Bruce.
The 37-year-old took up residence at Bardowie Castle on the outskirts of Glasgow – a stone edifice which looks out on to a loch and is illuminated at night.
Pine, who played Captain James T Kirk in the Star Trek reboot series, was in Scotland for months filming the Netflix epic Outlaw King.
Whether he knew it or not, Pine found himself in the historic property that once belonged to the family of another famous Scot, Rob Roy MacGregor.
A source close to the movie said: ‘Chris was staying in the West End of Glasgow during the first two months of filming. It was the fanciest place money could buy.
‘But at the start of October, Chris requested he be moved to the castle. He said it was because there were too many paparazzi bothering him, but he also just wanted a nicer place to stay.
‘He obviously had his eye on that specific castle. He’s the face of the film, so keeping him happy and comfortable is the company’s priority – even if that means renting out an entire castle.’
Following an approach, the castle’s owners vacated the property to relocate temporarily to Glasgow’s west end. It was possibly the most glamorous house swap Scotland has ever seen.
One property expert said: ‘A reasonable rent for a castle such as this would be £10,000 to £15,000 per month. Since the owners were asked to move out at short notice – and once you factored in the Hollywood connection – I would not be surprised if they were getting close to £20,000 per month.’