Carrey-McGregor kiss gets film festival buzz

By Katherine Monk, Canwest News Service

PARK CITY, Utah -- People were expecting fireworks, but the news conference for the most-talked-about film at Sundance was a relative dud. No tempers flared. Not a single rant erupted. No one insisted on a Proposition 8 diatribe.

Instead, Jim Carrey, Ewan McGregor and filmmakers Glenn Ficarra and John Requa addressed the media in true journeyman style as they fielded questions for I Love You Philip Morris, a new film at the centre of the buzz storm here in Park City for one big reason: It features a gay-themed love story between Ewan McGregor and Jim Carrey.

Based on a true story, and the fact-based book by Texas-based journalist Steve McVicker, I Love You Philip Morris tells the unbelievable story of Steven Russell (Jim Carrey), a former Georgia police officer who realizes he's living a false life and comes out as a gay man.

When his new lifestyle puts a crunch on his credit, he turns to fraud and a variety of increasingly gutsy -- and illegal -- stunts. Incarcerated for his sins, he falls in love with another inmate: Philip Morris (Ewan McGregor).

"To me, this was never a question of a gay movie," says McGregor. "This was a story of two people in love. As an actor, it's the same as playing any other man, or any other character."

Carrey agrees, but throws a zinger in for fun after someone asks him what it was like to kiss the Scottish heartthrob. "Well, it was a dream come true! Why, just look at the guy!"

Carrey concurs he never saw the film as a gay movie. "It's a movie about humanity and the lengths we go to for love and acceptance."

McGregor says he's played gay characters before and there wasn't a single moment of discomfort or awkwardness on set -- no matter how hot or heavy the love scenes were.

"It's about getting on with it. And it all felt strangely usual. As an actor to be kissing the person you love (in character) is never strange or unusual," says McGregor.

But Carrey says if he were being completely honest, he'd have to acknowledge some homophobic thoughts did come to the surface when he started preparing for the role.

"I did find myself wondering, 'What will people think? And what if I like it? And how will that affect me -- and Jenny (McCarthy)?' "

Requa and Ficarra, the co-directors and former screenwriters of such films as Cats and Dogs, say Carrey and McGregor were the first choices for their respective roles, and when it came time to shoot, both men came to the set baggage-free.

"You can't help but feel really lucky when you come to work every day on a movie like this," says Carrey. "I have a lot of gay friends in my life and they were so excited and talking to them about making this film and pumping them for information -- wrong word -- they got so excited. It was like someone had let them loose to be themselves, and our relationships got closer after that. It was very liberating for the people who work with me," said Carrey.

Proposition 8 called for an amendment to the California constitution that would limit the definition of marriage to the union of a man and a woman. Since it passed in the Nov. 4 election, the entertainment industry has been somewhat divided, given the initiative passed in supposedly progressive California.

Another snag for Sundance was the fact the festival takes place in the heart of Utah's Mormon Country, and the Mormon Church was a significant financial backer of the effort to have the anti-gay marriage proposition passed.

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