The former Newsnight guest booker couldn’t believe the accuracy of the recreation in the new Netflix film. <\/p>
Although new Netflix film Scoop<\/a> primarily tells the story of how the infamous Prince Andrew Newsnight interview came about, one of the key scenes in the film is a near word-for-word re-enactment of the interview itself.<\/p>\n The scene stars Rufus Sewell as Prince Andrew and Gillian Anderson as Emily Maitlis, and includes all the most memorable moments of the interview \u2013 including the reference to Pizza Express in Woking and the royal\u2019s bizarre assertion that he was unable to sweat.<\/p>\n And according to Sam McAlister<\/a> \u2013 the former Newsnight guest booker who secured the interview<\/a> and on whose book the film is based \u2013 the recreation of these scenes was so realistic that it felt like she was watching the actual events again.<\/p>\n \u201cI was literally there at the original and I was literally there at [director] Philip [Martin]\u2019s vision of the new original with Rufus, and with Gillian,\u201d she explained in an exclusive interview with RadioTimes.com<\/a>.<\/p> \u201cAnd with my eyes closed, it was like being there all over again. That is the magic of the performances, of the way that it\u2019s done, the eye for detail, the brilliant mise en sc\u00e8ne, the direction, the lighting, whatever it is, at every layer.<\/p>\n She added: \u201cIt is a profoundly moving and incredible experience to see once again, an interview you think you know, but you visit for the first time.\u201d<\/p>\n Read more:<\/strong><\/p>\n McAlister is played in the film by former Doctor Who star Billie Piper, and elsewhere in the interview, she talked about how surreal it was to see such a well-known actor portraying her on screen.<\/p>\n \u201cYou wouldn\u2019t envisage that even for a second,\u201d she said. \u201cI thought basically my mum would read the book, I felt hugely lucky to get to write a book even, particularly in the current climate.<\/p>\n \u201cSo to imagine that it would get, you know, some sales and then ended up as a Netflix movie with Billie Piper playing me. I mean, you\u2019d think I was drunk if I said that! So I couldn\u2019t have imagined it, even if I was being really fantastical.\u201d<\/p>\n\n