Unlike many of the actors who have played Bond, Pierce Brosnan has managed to put the 007 persona to one side and maintain a parallel film career. His latest project is the based-on-a-true-story family drama "Evelyn".
What was it about Evelyn Doyle's story that touched you?
I thought Paul [Pender] had written a wonderful script about the story of her life. I loved the humour - sometimes these things are handled with a sledgehammer. And I loved that it started with this family drama and then goes into a courtroom drama: this man [Desmond Doyle] had the courage to stand up in those dark days of the 50s and say this is wrong, and go against the Church and the state.
There was also my own identification with the character. I'm a father, and I know what it's like to come from a broken home.
It took a while to get the film made...
We'd had this story on our desks for six years! We [Brosnan's production company Irish DreamTime] had always talked about making it and one day we had a reading and I said, "OK, I could do this, let's get a director." And the idea of Bruce Beresford came up - I'd made "Mr Johnson" with him 12 years ago - and suddenly we had a wonderful script, a great director, and, consequently, the cast. So the movie was made.
The film follows "The Magdalene Sisters" and "Rabbit-Proof Fence" in challenging the power of the Church and State...
The Church should be about love, compassion, and faith. I think people in Ireland still have faith, but the Church is going through such a crisis at the moment. The curtain has been pulled back - certainly in relation to abuse - and once that starts, it becomes a cathartic exercise.
Has this been a more rewarding project for you than playing Bond?
I don't think you can compare. Bond is a challenge in itself, a wonderful role to play. I don't think I'd have Irish DreamTime if it wasn't for Bond. But I am deeply proud and deeply touched by this film.
"Evelyn" opens in UK cinemas on Friday 21st March 2003.
