Scots could miss out on the chance of appearing as an extra
CASTING agents of a Hollywood blockbuster being shot in Glasgow are looking for extras from a wide range of backgrounds – except Scottish.
Action thriller World War Z starring Brad Pitt will require around 2,000 extras.
But in an advert posted on Creative Scotland’s website, the casting call for the film states that it is looking for those with Irish and Italian backgrounds, as well as people of Black African, Black Afro Caribbean, Hispanic and Chinese ethnicity – leaving out those with Scottish backgrounds.
Actors’ union Equity criticised the production for advertising for extras from specific ethnicities.
A spokesman said:
“Our approach is that we don’t think it’s necessary to do that.
“We don’t think you need to stereotype people in such a way because we think we’ve gone beyond that now really – people can act within multiple different roles.
“Asking for someone of an ethnic Irish background – what does that even mean? It gets into territory that can be a bit uncomfortable. “
The film depicts the world ten years after a zombie invasion that almost wiped out mankind.
Around two weeks will be spent shooting scenes in Glasgow next month.
Candy Marlowe, the film’s crowd assistant, who is currently in Glasgow, said that the reason for the ethnic diversity was because the scenes were set in the American city of Philadelphia.
She added:
“With a bit of tweaking we will make Glasgow look like downtown Philadelphia, so we want that real American mix of ethnicities. We’re casting those people in particular because we need a good mix.
“We could have a group of Scottish people. We could even have a sub-group of Irish and a sub-group of Scottish. Scots are definitely not out. “
Extras will receive 130 per day and will be used to depict a range of characters including the homeless, businessmen and women and members of the military and emergency services.
The film is based on the novel World War Z: An Oral History of the Zombie War by Max Brooks.
It will be directed by Quantum of Solace director Marc Forster.
Brad Pitt plays a UN agent travelling the world and interviewing survivors of the recent zombie war.
It is currently shooting in Malta and will come to Glasgow in early August.
