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By Karrie Gillett
KEIRA Knightley and Sienna Miller brought a touch of glamour to Edinburgh Castle ahead of the world premiere of their new movie The Edge of Love.
The A-list pair were joined by Keira’s Glasgow-born mother Sharman MacDonald – who penned the script focusing on the tangled private life of Welsh poet Dylan Thomas, played by Matthew Rhys.
And Keira was quick to deny that a breast-baring scene in the all-British film was in any way embarrassing to shoot in front of her mum.
The 23-year-old said she simply followed instructions from director John Maybury during filming of the movie – whose premiere marks the opening of the Edinburgh International Film Festival
She said: “I always bare my breasts do I not? He told me to take my bra off and I said all right then.”
The Pirates of the Caribbean star said she had no doubt about taking the part when she first read her mother’s script.
And she revealed how her mum first showed it to her when she was in Glasgow filming The Jacket.
She said: “When I first read the script I completely fell in love with the character of Vera. She has such a subtle, emotional side that really moved me and I feel very grateful to have played her.”
But her writer mother admitted that she originally thought her daughter would play the role of Caitlain MacNamara – the other female lead played by blond superstar Sienna Miller who wore a black and white striped mini-dress.
The two leading ladies giggled and touched each other on the arms during the press conference in Edinburgh Castle’s Queen Anne room.
And Knightley – wearing a stylish floral print dress – was in a jubilant mood ahead of the world premiere screening at the city’s Foutainpark cineworld complex.
The pair faced questions from journalists along with co-star Ryhs, director John Maybury and Rebekah Gilbertson – the granddaughter of Knightley’s character Vera Phillips.
Asked if she felt particularly Scottish, Knightley proudly took her Glasgow-born mother by the hand and said it would be difficult not to.
She then joked about how she liked kilts while director Maybury accused mother and daughter of being ‘tight with their money.’
Joking aside, Knigtley said that although she was proud to be associated with her mother’s work, she did not feel any heightened responsibility to make it a success.
She said: “I am very, very proud of the film and I do feel particularly close to it but I always want to do the best I can possibly do.”
But her mother jibed that making her daughter sing in the film was ‘an act of revenge.’
And Keira said: “The singing was terrifying and I had to take a couple of shots of vodka just to get through the first scene.”
The Edge of Love premieres tonight at a red carpet gala opening night for the 62nd EIFF which has moved away from the traditional festival month of August for the first time.
