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In
like Flynn to play grandad, by Sophie Tedmanson -
18th December 2004
(Credit:
The Australian)
Jude Law may resemble his character Errol Flynn in
the coming Howard Hughes biopic The Aviator, but the
next person to star as the famously charming Hobart-born
Hollywood legend bears a much closer resemblance.
Flynn's
29-year-old grandson Luke is about to play his famous
grandad in the film In Like Flynn.
The
biopic, due to be filmed in Australia next year, was
co-written by Luke and his film-maker friend Corey
Large, and is based loosely on the pre-Hollywood sea-faring
adventures Errol Flynn wrote about in his memoirs
My Wicked, Wicked Ways and Beam's End.
The
story follows Flynn and his "crew of misfits"
on their trek from Sydney up the east coast of Australia
to New Guinea and their adventures along the way,
including run-ins with an island tribe, underground
boxing clubs, bar brawls, shark attacks, cannibals,
opium-smuggling and gambling.
Luke
has never been to Australia and never met his grandfather,
who died in 1959, but he "can't wait" to
step into his shoes.
"All
I really know of him is stories I've heard,"
he told The Weekend Australian from his home in Miami.
"He
seemed like a well-liked, really cool guy. I've always
heard positive things about him. I know he didn't
always have a nice image, but as far as I'm concerned,
he was a good guy."
The
Flynn family - including his grandmother Patrica Wymore,
Flynn's third wife, who still lives on the family
estate in Jamaica - is "really enthusiastic about
the film".
"The
whole family is really supportive," he said.
"They think it's a great idea."
Luke
Flynn and Large are planning to travel to Australia
in February to scout for locations and hope to return
for the 14-week shoot in June or July.
Large,
who said In Like Flynn would have an estimated $US12million
($15.9million) budget, will also star as one of Errol
Flynn's shipmates.
"It's
going to be like an Indiana Jones kind of action adventure
film; it'll be great fun," he said.
"And
I think it's good timing because of all the biopics
coming out over the past few months and the fact that
Jude Law just played Errol Flynn - that's put him
back on screen again."
The
two, who met when Large cast Flynn in his last film,
Window Theory, are also planning a biopic on Sean
Flynn, Errol's photographer son who disappeared during
the Vietnam War.
Luke,
who has dabbled in modelling and last year was named
one of People Magazine's hottest bachelors, said being
Errol's grandson has helped him in his entry to Hollywood.
"I
think it's been good for me," he said. "It's
opened up a lot of doors. And I have no problem getting
work because I'm Errol Flynn's grandson. I just think,
'Thanks, grandad'."
Media
The
Australian
Websites
Luke
Flynn official website
Errol
Flynn official website
Profiles
Luke
Flynn
Mediaman
Entertainment
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