Caleb Landry Jones, the Texas-born actor, debuted a convincing Scottish accent at the Venice Film Festival press conference for Luc Besson’s “Dogman,” which is world premiering in competition at the fest.
Landry Jones was introduced by Besson, who warned journalists in attendance that the actor was speaking with a Scottish accent because he’s “in character.” The director explained, “It’s not his normal voice. He needs to stay in character. So if you don’t understand so much the accent… It’s a brilliant accent!”
Landry Jones, who also sported reddish blond locks and a mustache, quickly replied, “It will be better in the film,” referring to the accent. He flew to Venice from Scotland, where he’s currently shooting a mystery film.
For “Dogman,” the actor dove deep into the part. In an exclusive interview with Variety, Besson detailed how Landry Jones prepared for the role for nearly six months and rehearsed with a doctor to learn how to walk with a disability, like his character.
The scene that scared Landry Jones the most, Besson recalled, is one where he delivers a stunning Edith Piaf performance. To prepare for the scene, Landry Jones worked with a French singer (Isabelle Geffroy aka Zaz) and a singing coach who had previously helped Marion Cotillard rehearse for her Oscar-winning turn in “La Vie en Rose.” “He didn’t speak a word of French coming into the shoot, and he finally nailed it the day we filmed that scene,” Besson told us ahead of Venice.
Besson and Landry Jones also bonded over their mutual love of dogs. “Caleb and I had two meetings where we just talked about life and movies, and then on the third meeting, I asked him if he liked dogs,” Besson said. “He spoke to me about the dog he had when he was a boy. It resonated with me because I had the same solitary life growing up, always with my dog. We became close right away.”