Interview; Gerry Butler; Exclusive
Film sex can be a chore, but someone has to do it says Gerry
LUCKY movie hunk Gerry Butler has got to grips with some of Hollywood’s sexiest leading ladies.
In just about every role the jammy Paisley-born actor has landed he’s been asked to strip off for sizzling sex scenes.
Gerry has also recently finished a six-month stint in London’s West End where he had to snog gorgeous Mummy actress Rachel Weisz every night.
That was after close encounters with Charlotte Rampling, Tara Fitzgerald, Simone Lahbib and Nicola Stapleton.
And last month viewers saw him fumbling on a couch with stunning co-star Sara Stockbridge in the ITV series Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married.
But, unlike other actors who trot out the party line about their reluctance to do bedroom scenes, cheeky Gerry happily admits he loves every horny minute of them.
Gerry, 30, said: “I hate to admit it but I’m really beginning to enjoy doing the old romps because I’ve done so many now. Of course at first I was really nervous but I’ve really got into my stride, shall we say.
“The only time I truly had stagefright was in a movie called Little White Lies with Tara Fitzgerald.
Fondle
“This was because I’ve always fancied Tara like crazy and suddenly I’m been asked to get into bed with her and act out a sex scene. I was scared in case she realised I wasn’t acting.
“In Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married with Sara Stockbridge I’m at it with her on the sofa and the director was like ‘cut, cut – Gerry I said CUT.’
“I also get to have a fun time with Charlotte Rampling in The Cherry Orchard, as her horny, roguish manservant.
“Then I got Simone Lahbib and Nicola Stapleton into bed, before they tied me up and did a runner.
“And I recently finished up six months in the West End in Suddenly Last Summer. I play a doctor who is asked to lobotomise Rachel.
“She’s a lovely girl and very sexy – and I got to snog her every single night on stage.
“But honestly how can I complain. I mean what other job pays you to kiss and fondle the most beautiful women around.”
Gerry was a late starter on the acting scene, treading the boards for the first time just four years ago.
He gave up a promising career as a solicitor just one week before he qualified, but has absolutely no regrets.
And no wonder. He now boasts a list of impressive roles including the award-winning Mrs Brown as Billy Connolly’s brother, The Bond flick Tomorrow Never Dies, The Cherry Orchard, Harrison’s Flowers with Andie MacDowell, Fast Food with Emily Woof and Shooters with Adrian Dunbar.
And his latest movie One More Kiss, starring fellow Scots Valerie Edmond – another who gets the Butler snog treatment – and James Cosmo, is released today.
His telly work includes Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married, An Unsuitable Job For A Woman with Helen Baxendale and Young Person’s Guide To Being A Rock Star.
He said: “I took an honours law degree from Glasgow University and just before I was about to qualify I gave it all up to be an actor. I just thought I really don’t want to do this for the rest of my life.
“So I took myself off to London and after meeting the Shakespearian actor Steven Berkoff in a coffee shop I auditioned then was cast by him in Coriolanus.
“That was my lucky break, but I think I have an advantage over other actors because coming into the game at a late stage meant that I have more maturity.
“I got all the madness out my system as a student, when I had some
wild, wild days. But when I got into acting I gave up all the booze to concentrate on my new career.
“I stopped drinking because I was too wild with it and got into stupid situations. I just acted like an idiot with the stuff.
“I haven’t touched a drop in years. It’s not something you appreciate straight away because it’s a whole life change. I just couldn’t handle the devastating lows anymore. I was always reaching for new highs and it was doing me in, physically and mentally.
“When I took up acting I just said, ‘Enough is enough’ and it’s done me the world of good.
“After starring with Berkoff I then auditioned for the play of Trainspotting. I was so hyper during my interview that the producer asked me ‘Are you on drugs right now?’
“We got into this bizarre argument about whether I was on drugs or not. I don’t do drugs at all, it’s just that I’m so hyper, but I ended up getting the part anyway.”
Mrs Brown with Connolly and Judi Dench followed before a dream role in Bond.
He said: “I only had a tiny part in Tomorrow Never Dies where I got to say one line, ‘We’re now 14 degrees down by the stern sir’ but who cares I was still in a James Bond film and one that many people consider to the best.
“The funny thing is the director Richard Spottiswoode didn’t even know what I was saying because of my thick Scottish accent.
“But I will return to Bond one day – and I want to be 007 himself.”
Next up Gerry played Marty Claymore – sending up Wet Wet Wet singer Marti Pellow – in Young Person’s Guide To Being A Rock Star.
Gerry said: “I met Marti recently because his fiancee Eileen Catterson is actually my cousin.
“He said my mickey take was the funniest thing he’d ever seen, he loved it which was a huge relief.”
But he is really excited about his latest role as Sam in the hotly-tipped One More Kiss.
He plays the ex-boyfriend of Valerie Edmond who has returned to the Borders to die from brain cancer.
Making the movie brought back memories of his own dad who died from the disease.
Steamy
He said: “Like most families I have had experience of cancer through my dad.
“He was virtually paralysed and in pain from his head to his toes, but he was laughing and joking to the end. It was really inspirational to watch.
“The movie was heavy to do but I think it is a fantastic film. I loved doing it.”
Gerry is a real tonic in the shallow world of showbiz as a straight forward, no-nonsense guy.
And that worked wonders with difficult American actress Andie MacDowell when the pair were in Prague filming Harrison’s Flowers.
Gerry said: “The movie is about a photographer who goes missing in Bosnia. I play another photographer who finds Andie, who has been raped and left for dead by Serb soldiers.
“Andie has a reputation for being difficult, but she wasn’t with me.
“She is a bit stand-offish but as soon as I got talking to her and just acted as normal as possible she was brand new and we really hit it off.
“That’s the way I always am. I’ll talk to anyone no matter who they are.”
Now he’s heading for Hollywood – hoping to make his big break.
He said: “I’m going to stay in Los Angeles for a few months and just see what happens.
“I’ve been pretty lucky landing some steamy scenes with beautiful actresses in this country and I wouldn’t mind more of the same in the States.”
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