Michael wants the Cloughs on side
ACTOR Michael Sheen hopes Brian Clough’s family will bring themselves to watch movie The Damned United in which he stars as the legendary football manager.
Clough’s widow Barbara spoke out against the book on which the film is based, The Damned United by David Peace, which she says depicts her husband as a “chainsmoking, obscenity-shouting and selfishly driven man”.
She and son Nigel are boycotting the film.
At its London premiere this week Sheen, there with girlfriend Lorraine Stewart, told us: “Brian Clough was my favourite role.
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He was a fascinating man and a genius of the game. It’s a shame his family haven’t felt able to watch the fi lm but it’s understandable if they didn’t like the book.
I’d love to think at some point they’ll be able to. I hope so. It’s not a mirror image of the book.” Director Tom Hooper said: “We tried to balance the dark elements of Clough’s personality with his brilliant wit.
It’s an affectionate portrait. We invited the family to read the script and see the fi lm. We made all the overtures.”
