GerardButler.Net spoke with the hunky Scottish actor recently and discusses in length his leading role in the upcoming "Phantom of the Opera" movie adaptation. Here's an excerpt: "When I wonder to him, echoing the Phantom critics, even after all that practice, if he was confident enough in his vocal skills to get the part he had become obsessed about. His answer is straightforward and honest. "It wasn't up to me. I can go and I can sing for them and they can decide whether I can do this or not. I had to pass a lot of tests." Auditions with Andrew Lloyd Webber, Joel Schumacher and musical director Simon Lee would follow. "They were very keen for me to do the role. Nobody denied that I needed work because you suddenly start singing with completely different rules than you're used to and that's what I am good at. Getting my head down and getting on with the work. Probably the hardest task was [not only] learning the technicalities of [singing] and getting through all that but then getting the soul and the heart and the longing and the pain and the sexuality back into [the Phantom]". It was his entrance onto the soundstage, in his Don Juan costume, that he describes as his favorite scene and the realization by all involved that he WAS the Phantom. "I walked out on that stage and it reminded me of my first day as an actor in a full on role when I played Renton in Trainspotting. I think everybody was a little scared in rehearsals as to whether I could do it, right up until the night I walked out on stage and then it just came alive." His voice fills with excitement as he recalls that first scene. "It was electric. There were people from every part of the crew coming up and they could barely speak after that scene just because of the music and the sets and Emmy (Rossum, who plays Christine) and I working together. It was so powerful and so sad and so heartbreaking and to do all those things at the one time. I love it when acting can do things that are diametrically opposed feelings one of incredible sadness or one of incredible sexuality or one of sadness, but sweetness, or one of comedy and frustration. And that scene to me felt like that. I felt such incredible power within my body as I was doing the scene. I really felt, 'Oh My God', I didn't expect to discover the Phantom so quickly." So confident were the crew in the realization that Gerard was the right choice for the role, a call was placed to Andrew Lloyd Webber to come down and view the scene and witness the power of his musical creation finally being immortalized on film...".
For the full interview which has HEAPS more, click here
Thanks to 'Tamara'
