STORY BEHIND THE MOVIE

I KNOW Oliver Reed stars in Gladiator, but is it true he appears in scenes filmed after he died? – L.

Thanks to the latest Star Wars movie, Rogue One, film fans are becoming accustomed to popular characters being brought back to life thanks to digital wizardry.

But such wondrous techniques aren’t entirely new.

The English actor died of a heart attack three weeks before filming of the Roman epic was due to end.

Production was at such an advanced stage that director Ridley Scott decided he couldn’t simply cut Reed, who played Antonius Proximo, from the movie.

The script was tweaked and groundbreaking computer-generated imagery was used to complete his remaining scenes. Most moviegoers didn’t even notice!

Reed was posthumously nominated for best supporting actor at the BAFTAs in 2001.