Australian filmmaker Stephan Elliott has revealed to Deadline that the late Terence Stamp, who passed away in August at the age of 87, spent some of the final months of his life reprising one of his most memorable roles.
Specifically that of Bernadette Bassenger, the transgender woman he played in 1994’s Aussie comedy classic “The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert”. That film saw Stemp’s character, along with Guy Pearce and Hugo Weaving as drag queens, who travel across the outback in a flamboyantly decorated bus.
Talk of a sequel has swirled for a long time, but plans finally came together just before COVID hit. Delays due to the pandemic led to extra work on the script and careful consideration of how Stamp’s character would appear in their 80s. Elliott says “Terence wasn’t getting any younger, and that’s a fact he loved to shove down our throats almost every day.”
Elliot said Stamp was initially hesitant to return, but agreed after it was explained that the follow-up would not simply repeat the original film. Elliott says: “so I came forward with something that is pretty special and unique, and that’s when I got him.”
Stamp insisted on performing the role himself rather than using a digital double, the actor saying he wanted to do his cenes “just in case I don’t make the start line”. To honor his wishes, Elliott pre-shot all of Bernadette’s scenes over multiple sessions. Despite his age, Stamp reportedly spent long hours in full makeup and costume playing the role and Elliott says “you could have bottled that smile”.
Elliott says Stamp’s contribution was fully captured on film, ensuring what will be his final performance is preserved, but says integrating the scenes into the completed movie will pose technical and logistical challenges.
