Whitaker Stunned Ugandans As Idi Amin
23 September 2006
Whitaker Stunned Ugandans As Idi Amin
Actor Forest Whitaker was so convincing as late Ugandan leader Idi Amin, locals feared he'd come back from the grave to take charge again.
The Crying Game star studied Swahili, lowered his voice and even mastered the accordion so he could perfect Amin in THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND, and Ugandans felt sure they were looking at the real thing as Whitaker shot emotive scenes.
Movie maker Kevin McDonald explains, "In the big crowd scene in the film, the villagers who were living there thought the real Amin had come back.
"They thought he was giving speeches. They came up to me and said, 'Why is he making the same speech 10 times this morning? We're getting a bit bored!'"
MCDonald added to the Amin authenticity by locating the limousine the infamous Uganda leader used to drive around him.
He adds, "We found it in a garage that was being eaten by rats. It was just sitting there. We spray painted it but we could only get it to go in first gear.
"In the scene where James McAvoy arrives in the limo at the Parliament, we had about 10 people pushing it. In fact James himself had to get out after the first take, push it up the hill and then run around jump in the car and then sit there for his shot."
The Crying Game star studied Swahili, lowered his voice and even mastered the accordion so he could perfect Amin in THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND, and Ugandans felt sure they were looking at the real thing as Whitaker shot emotive scenes.
Movie maker Kevin McDonald explains, "In the big crowd scene in the film, the villagers who were living there thought the real Amin had come back.
"They thought he was giving speeches. They came up to me and said, 'Why is he making the same speech 10 times this morning? We're getting a bit bored!'"
MCDonald added to the Amin authenticity by locating the limousine the infamous Uganda leader used to drive around him.
He adds, "We found it in a garage that was being eaten by rats. It was just sitting there. We spray painted it but we could only get it to go in first gear.
"In the scene where James McAvoy arrives in the limo at the Parliament, we had about 10 people pushing it. In fact James himself had to get out after the first take, push it up the hill and then run around jump in the car and then sit there for his shot."
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