1ST 'THE WHITE RAJAH'
EPIC MOVIE PHOTOS WITH JONATHAN RHYS MEYERS
If you ask me, the most interesting movie project offered to the buyers at this year's Cannes Virtual Market, was
THE WHITE RAJAH (I hear they will turn it into just Rajah to avoid the pressure of the racist part of the
 |
| The first idea to make this movie appeared back in 2010. |
public), a new historical movie from director
Michael Haussman in which
Jonathan Rhys Meyers plays Sir James Brooke, the British adventurer who
 |
| Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Dominic Monaghan lead the cast |
became King of Sarawak in the 1840's and embarked on a lifelong crusade to end piracy and head-hunting - only to face charges of murder and piracy
 |
| The movie was filmed in English and a mix of local Sarawak dialects |
himself. He was the real-life 19th century inspiration behind Rudyard Kipling's
The Man Who Would Be King and also Joseph Conrad's
Lord Jim!
The Ruler Of Sarawak
Born in Bengal to a British expatriates, Brooke would join the Bengal
Army of the British East India Company before being seriously wounded
and
 |
| The film was helmed by Michael Haussman, director of music videos |
sent to England to recover. Having inherited a small fortune, he
later bought a 142-ton boat and set sail for Borneo in 1838 in order to
escape a certain
 |
| Hong Kong actress Josie Ho plays one of the female roles |
romantic scandal. After falling in love with this
tropical paradise, he fought pirates and the Sultan’s enemies to win, in
1841, a crown as Rajah of Sarawak,
 |
| Dominic Monaghan plays Rajah's right hand and friend |
where he ruled a jungle kingdom
larger than England until his death in 1868.
Brooke was knighted by Queen Victoria for his bravery, but went on to
defy
 |
| The movie was shot over at the island of Borneo |
the monarch when the British Empire tried to colonize Sarawak. The
reign of the White Rajah lasted three generations across a century, and
the family's
 |
| All of the characters who are not English or Chinese are played by Sarawak actors |
legacy is now immortalised in the recently opened Brooke
Gallery at Fort Margherita in Kuching, Sarawak.
Who Is In The Rajah's Cast?
Beside Jonathan Rhys Meyers in the lead role, the cast also includes Hong Kong singer-turned-actress
Josie Ho as Madame Lim, the explorer's former lover and Chinese leader, and
Dominic Monaghan who is playing
 |
| The movie written by Rob Alyn was shot last year at Borneo |
Colonel Arthur Crookshank, Brooke’s cousin and comrade-in-arms.
Ralph Ineson plays Sir Edward Beech with
Hannah New as Elizabeth Crookshank. The rest of the cast is made of native actors.
Didn't know Dominic Monaghan is still acting, thought he was still stuck in the wilderness. 🤷♂️
ReplyDeleteI haven't seen him in a very long time myself.
DeleteThis racist pressure is understandable, but on the other hand, it's like painting a story that has already happened.
ReplyDeleteAgreed
DeleteLooks interesting Dez?
ReplyDeleteShould be good, Ray.
DeleteWow, the shooting location is in Borneo ..., I'm sure the film is a charming natural landscape.
ReplyDeleteI bet you will recognise tons of your actors in it.
DeleteThis does look good. I'll be looking forward to this one. I haven't seen Dominic Monaghan since either Lost or that Eminem video he was in.
ReplyDeleteHope we get a nice trailer till the end of the year.
DeleteI didn't know Jonathan Rhys Meyers until he played Dracula in a show. I've liked him ever since then. He's a great actor....not bad to look at either. lol
ReplyDeleteHe acted for decades before Dracula, has such an amazing number of great films.
DeleteI was just thinking that I haven't seen Jonathan Rhys Meyers in anything recently. It's nice to see he still has work. And Dominic Monaghan, I forgot all about him!
ReplyDeleteHe is shooting constantly, it is just that he isn't in Hollywood, he is the king of international productions which is why he usually has the best of films. I hope he is now in calm waters after having a kid with his wife.
DeleteI hope so too, though depression is something that is really hard to pull yourself away from. My best friend and Jason both suffer from it and I can say that it never truly goes away. Let's just hope he thinks of his child and wife before attempting self harm again.
DeleteI think I was born with it too, I think almost everybody has it, especially in today's world. It is not something one can solve oneself if it is clinical depression, it does not matter if he has kids of a happy marriage, you just have to take pills to balance the hormones in your body, it is not about the mind, but body, since one of your glands in the body does not produce enough hormones of happiness and relaxation. My medicine against it is, I think, work work work work.... which is why I always have to have work.
DeleteJason is the same as you. He needs work or projects because as he says, "my mind never turns off." When he's not busy, he sits there and over analyzes everything. Meds don't do much for him, or we haven't found the right one yet. Countless therapists, countless doctors. It's exhausting for me, so I can't even imagine how it must be to live in his head.
DeleteIt is not easy for men, dahlink, world usually does not think about us much, but it is difficult to live your whole life under the pressure of the whole family relying upon your work. And Jason is, as far as I know the dear chap, a responsible guy, so I can only imagine how it is to wake up every day knowing the whole world depends on you and you cannot make any mistakes, let anything pass unnoticed. Give him a hug for me. Did you try giving him some of your ashwaganda? I hear that 5HTP is also good for feeling better and feeling energized.
DeleteI shall give him a big hug from you tonight. He never showed interest in ashwaganda, but I'll try to dump some in a smoothie for him and see if I can get him to take it that way. His therapist has been trying to get him to take up weight lifting or biking again as he seems to be happiest with fitness, but he's in such a funk lately, the motivation just isn't there :( I think this Covid has caused a lot of stress with changes to work life and home life for him, so hopefully once it passes, he'll see the light at the end of the tunnel again.
DeleteFingers crossed, you two did survive all kinds of nasty shit in recent years, it was bound to show somehow, and you said he is changing jobs and had to fire many people... no wonder he is not the same anymore, you are now at that age when life is changing and this year did not help us at all.
DeleteFingers crossed ♥
Delete