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
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| 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
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| 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
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| 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
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| 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
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| 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,
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| 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
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| 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
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| 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
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| 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.
