Guy Pearce stars as Rupert Murdoch in Ink, a new biopic by director Danny Boyle that premiered at the Venice film festival. The film, based on a script by playwright James Graham, focuses on Murdoch’s early years in Britain and his pivotal role in transforming the Sun newspaper during a competitive period in Fleet Street’s history.
Pearce indicated that Murdoch has approved of the casting, having communicated with the media magnate’s daughter Elisabeth about his reaction. Murdoch has not yet viewed the completed film, Pearce noted. The actor, known for his breakout role in 1994’s The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, will be seen alongside Jack O’Connell, who plays Larry Lamb, the editor tasked with making the Sun outsell the Daily Mirror.
Graham revealed that Murdoch attended stage performances of the production in the West End and on Broadway, though he remained guarded about his responses. The playwright noted that Murdoch appeared particularly engaged by sequences depicting the physical newspaper production process. Boyle characterized Murdoch’s role at the time as representing “a breath of fresh air” in British society, while acknowledging the media tycoon’s position as an outsider dealing with prejudice due to his Australian background.
Graham emphasized that the script aims to illustrate the lasting effects of the Sun’s disruption on contemporary media and journalism practices. He described how the newspaper’s emphasis on entertainment and engagement fundamentally shifted news philosophy in the UK, departing from the educational model established by the BBC. The playwright drew connections between the Sun’s original approach and the current media landscape shaped by social media and artificial intelligence, all centered on audience engagement and influence.
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