Hollywood stars Ryan Phillippe, Taylor Kitsch and Malin Akerman have all arrived in South Africa to star filming The Bang- Bang Club.

 

A tight-lipped, moody Phillippe landed at OR Tambo airport in Johannesburg yesterday morning. Kitsch and Akerman arrived on Saturday.

Production of the film — based on the book of the same name, about four South African news photographers and written by Greg Marinovich and Joao Silva — begins this week.

Yesterday, Phillippe, who plays Marinovich, was unhappy with The Times’s presence at the airport, saying he was amazed there were “paparazzi” in South Africa. He then put his sunglasses on and pulled his woollen hat over his eyes.

“Can you believe that after a 23-hour flight, they are here, and I am so tired,” groaned Phillippe.

Kitsch, who plays the late photographer Kevin Carter, was more forthcoming on Saturday. He said he was looking forward to “being busy on the film and will make time to see the country”.

Akerman’s character is loosely-based on that of The Times’ pictures editor, Robin Comley. The blonde actress said she was anxious to get to work and to spend a day with Comley .

“I have been looking forward to working on this film for more than 18 months,” she said.

Akerman and Kitsch spent Sunday afternoon at Moyo restaurant, at Johannesburg’s Zoo Lake.

The Bang-Bang Club is directed by South African-born director Steven Silver, who lives in Canada, and documents the violence of the dying days of apartheid.

The three actors are scheduled to tour the Gauteng townships of Thokoza and Boipatong on Thursday. They will get dialogue coaching from veteran South African actress Fiona Ramsay, who has coached the Hollywood Who’s Who, including Matt Damon, Leonardo di Caprio and Don Cheadle.

 

Click here to see a vid of Taylor (and his co-stars) arriving in South Africa.

 

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