Exclusive: Filmaker Stephan Elliot Reveals to Deadline That Terrence Stamp, The Magnetic British Star Who Died August 87 in August, Spent the Finals of His Life Reprint His Role as Bernadette, A Transgender Nightclub Artist, for the Sequel to Beloved 1994 Movie 1994 Movie 1994 Movie The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
The Actor, Who Starred In Billy Budd, Far from the madding Crowdtwo Superman Movies, Star Wars: The Phantom Menaceand The HitHAD initially been Hesitant About AGREEing to a sequel, but Sayys elliott, the actor was persued by a promise that Priscilla Queen of the Desert 2Its Working Title, Waled Not Just Be A Rekeat of the Original.
“SO I CAME FORWARD WITH Something that is Pretty Special and Unique,” Elliott Tells US. “And that’s when I got it.”
The first movie, About a transgender Woman and two Drag Queens, Played by Stamp, Guy Pearce and Hugo Weaving, Respectively, Who Set off from sydney in an anc-school bus they dubbed priscilla to perform golden Oldies and abba hits in the deserts of deserts Australia, was an enormous hit crue it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival.
Elliott believes that his cast dresing to the nines in outrageously glamorous frocks and bejewered carmen miranda-style atop their wigs, helped pave the way for the likes of the Likes RUPAUL’S DRAG race to enter the mainstream.
Terrence Stamp, Guy Pearce and Hugo Weaving in ‘The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’ (1994)
Gramercy Pictures/Courtesy Everett Collection
Elliott explains that “we have all aggregated on a Priscilla… sequel just before Covid Becauses it tok with decades to find a full and i found it. Butn that Covid Came Along, and of Course, we all lost ground, but it did Give us the time to get the script underway. And as well as you know, we have Very Big Heels to Fill, and We’ve Been Pretty Much at it Ever Since. “
At the Same Time, he adds, “Terrence wasn’t getting any Younger, and that’s a fact he love to shove down throats almost every day.”
We spoke to elliott back in april 2024, and deadline broke the news that a sequel was in the work to The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desertbut he is now that and he did not disclose “that we had ben in pre-pre-maakeup, hair and concept designs for a very long time.”
Those Discussions, Elliott Notes, Revolved Around “What Terrence’s Character Bernadette was going to look like 88, it took a lot of trial and erro. SO the clock clicked on, and then it was broke, terrain was indignant than it want a digital clone HIMSELF PLAYING BERNADETTE.
Elliott declales that with stamp the case “and with the Blessing of Him and His Family, Guy, Hugo and the Finniers, Deco to Pre-Shoot all the Bernadette Scenes.”
Stephan Elliott Looks on AS Sarah are wai o’flynn fixes stamp’s hair for ‘priscilla queen of the desert 2’ (Photo Copyright of Amie Stoppard)
Australian-Born Elliott Says of Stamp: “He was 87, Turning 88… and i put Him through a multi-cm shoot, Spread over seweling sessions. All i can say, that the old trouper gave it everything he haad. Same Time, My God, You Could have bottled that smile.
Elliott Reveals that he shot stamp with stamp “In Character in a Nine Camera Array of the Entire Script.”
Following Stamp’s Passing, Elliott Says that he’s “Pretty devastated” and “i’m Still Teary Most Days, but at the moment, i just need to be tools for a bit and mourn. COUNTED AS ONE OF THAT.
“He was an absolute sweetheart, but he had had an aura about himself, and he kept it way. Of mean, he knew i love Him to death… i mean, look at his resume, at who work with. And i look at myself on this list of fellini and pasolini. and i just go: ‘What is my name doing there?’ ”
Elliott adds that “right now, i’ve just had to tell everybody to down tools, i really need to mourn. bit of time, we’re going to find out. “
He Shot the stamp sequences over Three studios starting at pinewood.
Guy Pearce, Terrence Stamp and Hugo Weaving in ‘The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert’ (1994)
Elliott Says that it is not the first time “in film history” that technology has enabled actors performance to be introded into a movie after they died, to live on. “I Mean, look at olie reed. Ollie reed died in the middle of shooting Gladiator”He notes, reference to how Ridley Scott and His Creatives enabled oliver reed to appendar, as it were, in GladiatorFollowing the actor’s Death from A Heart Attack in 1999. Star Wars (The Rise of Skywalker), but they were kind of all after the fact. This is a really weird one in that it is before the fact. ”
He Adds: “They Call it CGI Face Replacement. IT’S a tech that ben around for years, but basically we’re going to have to, I don’t know. that Actor.
The script is Very Unusual, Elliott Suggets. “Not what People Expect… i’ve made a Very, Very Unusual Film, and it is about old age. Its Very touching. I wrote a lot of what I was through with terrain Over the respect. Mean, it’s a subject that never been explored. ”
Elliott Says that for Over A Decade, Weaving and Pearce Had Been Jokes About Wanting to Do A Sequel, Howver, Stamp Hadn’t Wanted to Be Part of it. “He JUST Absolutely refused,” The Director Recalls.
Terrence Stamp With Stephan Elliott on Pre-Shoot Set of ‘Priscilla Queen of the Desert 2’ (Photo Copyright of Amie Stoppard)
“I had to come to him with a full that is a really good one. And when i came to (stamp), he look at and said, ‘okay, i didn’t that one coming.’ SO BRAGHT HIM SEND. None of us want that. “And that’s when I got it.”
The Conversation Begged All Manner of Questions. I Ask Elliott if Stamp was in Full Hair and Make-up and Costumed As Bernadette?
“Yes, he was in full costume as Bernadette,” Elliott Confirms.
Elliott Says that stamp “joked all the time, ‘You’re running out of time, kids. You’re running out of time.’ And so he threw himself into it.
“It was togged dialogue for Him, but he gave it everything,” Elliott explains during the call sunday from his home in Portugal.
“It ‘is a game changer. Its kind of weird. So we’re facing a whole brand new world. Terrence Said,’ I want a chance to this mySelf. ‘ SO we gave the chance. ”
Elliott and His Collaborators, As Noted Earlier, Are Taching a Break to Enable to Through How to Process. I Peppered Him With Questions About How the Stamp Footage Could Be Introduced into the sequel.
“Look, I think the easiest way is for all of us, which is what it is. We’ve got terrain in the can as bernadette. It ‘s what we would technically with this point, as i said from point about how they make it Work.
“And i’ve Just Said to Finaniers, Everybody Right Now, and i Said, ‘I Just Need Some Air. We’ll Figure It Out.’ SO BASICALLY, he exists as bernadette, and we’ve just got to work out to make it and the Question is, as of Said Earlier, does anyone to see this film? HIS LIFE TO THIS.
Elliott Says that Both weaving and Pearce gave their blessing ahead of discussions between the film and stamp. “I Said, ‘Guys, I can’t Do This Being to Cost a Fortune, and I can this withoout your blessing, without your Support.’ And both of say did. ”
Costum my designer my chappel (Miss congeniality), Who Shared the 1995 Oscar for Best Costum Design With Lizzy Gardiner (Hacksaw Ridge), Created New Costums for Stamp. Elliott signed up makeup designer Rick Findlater (Lord of the Rings, King kong, The Hobbit) to Create Stamp’s Bernadette. Makeup Artist Sarah Jane Wai O’Flynn Workhed Alongside Findlater.
While acknowledging that Priscilla Queen of the Desert 2 Will Travel Further afield than australia and venture overseas, elliott refuses to reveal more. “I Can’t Tell You, Base. I Mean, On Top of that One, the Boys Were Saying, ‘Will You Want To Release Some of the Footage?’ And i said, ‘of terrain’s stuff?’ And I Said, ‘It’ the full. I mean, the beauty of what we’re trying to do is outdo ourselves on the first film, and i just can’t give the plug. ”
I KAS HIM TO CLARIFY WEND PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHY MIGHT START. “CAN I CAN WORK OUT THE MECHANICS OF HOW THIS IS GOING TO WORK,” he responds.
By Elliott’s Reckoning, The Hope is that film Could Start Next Year. “The bays have got therir own schedules. They want to do it. We’re going to have to reconfigure some of the Becauses we have to deal with us’ve last. So we’re going to have some reconfiguration and it is just going to the work of the work. out.
The work with stamp on Priscilla Queen of the Desert 2 Started, Elliott Tells us, in 2024, “And we stretched into this year for the big shoot and the dialogue,” essentally shooting on and off over Several months.
“So. it’ll be technical, but on top of that one. It will be him.
Terrence stamp Having a Bernadette Wig Applied for ‘Priscilla Queen of the Desert 2’ (Photo Copyright of Amie Stoppard)
“Come on,” Elliott Argues. “You look at all the sci-fi epics you ever see, all of the People have basically ended up Acting on Green Screens, Talking to Tennis Balls, we’re not doing that.”
Our conversation, as we recall our interactions with stamp over the years, is a Heartbreaking One, butn we’re also excited in a strange at the postsitility of SEENCE STAMP UP IN A Big Screen One More Time.
Elliott Nods. “Now, he didn’t want a funeral, there’s been a lot of talc recently about funerals, and he didn’t want a funeral. He wanted a final curtain.
“So we did everything in our power to make it … and by God, we’re giving it to Him.”
