By Niamh Anderson
TRAINSPOTTING author Irvine Welsh has been dropped from a role in his own movie.
The Edinburgh born writer was to make a cameo appearance in the new film adaptation of his book Ecstasy.
The movie, filmed in Canada last year, was to feature Irvine as an anti-drugs campaigner- a direct contrast to his last known role as a drug dealer in Trainspotting.
But, the scene has now been cut from the final version of the film, which is set to be released early next year.
Director Rob Heydon took the decision to edit out his appearance while making finishing touches to the film, which is called Irvine Welsh’s Ecstasy.
Despite the deliberate snub, Welsh, 53, said he was delighted with the job the Canadian filmmaker had done in adapting his book for the big screen.
Emotional
He said: “I think he’s done a fantastic job and it has exceeded my expectations. He has got really strong performances from the actors.”
The author even admitted he wasn’t quite right for the film.
“I don’t think young people want to see old people like me sleazing around in a film,” he said.
“They want to see people their own ages.
“It was very emotional for me to watch it- it was like stepping back in time for me. I have very high hopes for the film.”
A source said: “Rob had filmed a lot of scenes and has been cutting the film down to an appropriate running time over the last few months.
“Irvine’s cameo was great. He did a good job but it was felt that it wasn’t crucial to the story to include the scene.
“There are no hard feelings about it. They are still great mates and are excited about the film coming out.”
The forth-coming £3 million flick was filmed in Canada and Scotland.
Romcom
Critics have it tipped to be a smash hit with audiences, just like Welsh’s Trainspotting more than 14 years ago.
The collection Ecstasy: Three Tales of Chemical Romance is about a woman who leaves her husband and throws herself into the 1990’s rave scene.
It stars Kristin Kreuk as Heather Thompson, alongside Lord of the Rings favourite Billy Boyd and up and coming fellow Scot Adam Sinclair.
Welsh, who lives in Chicago described the film as a cross between “Trainspotting and Titanic.”
He added: “I think it will work as a romantic comedy because people are ready for a different type of romcom.
“I think people are fed up with all that Sex and the City stuff with people in their forties getting it on. They want to see people of their own generation.”
The film is set to be released in cinemas nationwide in 2012.
