Jackson stays in costume for premiere
Hollywood star Samuel L Jackson wore a kilt to the world premiere of his new film The 51st State in London’s West End.
Jackson arrived in his character’s kilt, a tam o’shanter emblazoned with the film’s name, a chunky navy wool jumper and green boots.
He disclosed: ‘‘I love it and have even been wearing it Scottish style.’’
Co-stars Emily Mortimer, Sean Pertwee and Rhys Ifans also attended the screening last night at the Curzon cinema in Mayfair.
Jackson said: ‘‘The kilt is extremely comfortable and quite warm as the material is thick and there’s lots of pleats so it doesn’t lose the warmth.
‘‘I have been wearing it Scottish style though sometimes it’s too cold or risky for the camera shot.’’
The film was set in Liverpool and of the locals Jackson said: ‘‘They were a lot of fun and I even understood what they were saying.’’
He said he enjoyed eating Chinese food in the city and enjoyed the opportunity work with ‘‘really great British actors’’.
On flying over from the US following the September 11 terrorist attacks, which has reportedly deterred some fellow US actors, he said: ‘‘You just get on and fly - I fell asleep 20 minutes after take off and stayed that way until we landed.’’
Fellow actress Emily Mortimer wore a dark blue beaded lacy dress with a striking pearl choker.
The British actress said: ‘‘Samuel is fantastic - he’s the coolest man in the universe and his kilt really works.
Describing the scene where she puts her hand down his kilt she said: ‘‘It was a very cold, rainy, Liverpudlian night but it did not deter from the excitement of having my hand down Samuel’s skirt.’’
Welsh actor Rhys Ifans said: ‘‘I think Liverpool generates generosity which rubs off - it’s a good place to work and to party.’’
Also at the premiere were George Lucas; Jasmin Le Bon; Lisa Faulkner holding hands with Jonny Lee Miller; Meg Matthews; Sonique and Tara Palmer-Tomkinson. Many also turned up in kilts.
Shot mainly on location in Liverpool, the action comedy sees streetwise US master chemist Elmo McElroy (played by Jackson) arrive in England to set up his last big deal and introduce a new designer drug to the European market.
Soon embroiled in a web of double-dealing, kilt-wearing McElroy is accompanied around the city’s underworld by loud mouthed Scouser and American-hating gangster Felix De Souza (Robert Carlyle).
The unlikely pair are forced to hook up and forget their differences in the film from Hong Kong leading action director Ronny Yu.
Yu said: ‘‘Liverpool is all rain, rain, rain and more rain. I spent four months there and the women are so pretty and have no fear of the cold. The people there are really great.’’
Hailed as a major breakthrough for Liverpool as a location, the 95-minute film cost £20m to produce.
The 51st State is released in the UK on December 7 by Momentum Pictures.
