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FLASHBACK
DISTRICT 9increasingly encased in prosthetics as his
slow metamorphosis from human to alien got
underway. “On the days where I had to wear
the alien claw, we’d leave it on all day. It’d take
about two and a half hours and I couldn’t get
it off,” he explains. “Eating was always hard
because I was in a real trash heap and there
were days where I had human faeces and dog
shit on the tentacle from crawling around on the
fl oor,” he adds with a grimace. “It turns out there
are a lot of times where Wikus is on the fl oor!”
Then there were the fi lm’s cutting-edge action
sequences, created with Blomkamp’s keen eye
for thrilling DIY visual effects and transforming
his one-time producer into an unlikely gung-ho
hero. “I loved it. It was one of those things where
you get to live your dreams,” says Copley. “I’d
wanted to be an actor from the age of about ten
so it was incredible getting to do these action
scenes in a proper movie with Peter Jackson
producing. It was just surreal.”
That surreal feeling intensifi ed when District
9 hit audiences following a hugely intriguing
(and successful) viral marketing campaign.
Through their gripping visuals, prawn-like aliens
and faux-documentary storytelling, Blomkamp,
Copley and Tatchell had created a startling and
attention-grabbing debut that was both intensely
personal and universally familiar. The fi lm went
on to earn an Academy Award nomination for
Best Picture at 2009’s Oscars – a feat that’s
almost unheard of within the sci-fi genre – and
it made two young creatives from South Africa,
Copley and Blomkamp, household names.“It was the biggest single incident in my life,”
says Copley candidly. “To have the opportunity
to make something that could be so personal
and have the impact it had which then changes
everything in my life going forward? You can’t
quantity it. I feel a deep sense of gratitude for
Neil and that connection. He came into my
life and created that opportunity for me. It’s
enormously humbling,” he says. “Let me put
it this way – after the movie I thought: ‘I can
die satisfi ed!’”District 9 is available on Blu-ray from
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment.DISTRICT 10?
Ever since we left alien Wikus in the
Johannesburg slums at the end of District 9
audiences have been wondering whether we’ll
one day see a continuation and conclusion to
his story. According to Copley we might be
in luck, because a sequel is defi nitely on the
cards – just as soon as everyone’s schedules
free up a bit.
“I do think it’s likely,” he tells us. “It’s
something that myself and Neill have discussed
on and off over the years and it seems to get
closer and closer before something comes up
and throws it out,” he laughs, “but I’m very
confi dent that it will happen at some point.”
As for whether Copley, now a major
Hollywood star, is ready to return to the trash
landfi lls of the townships? “Maybe...,” he says
tentatively. “I don’t know if I still have it for the
real trash but I think if we do come back, I’ve
got to get into the real trash and go back to my
roots. I won’t get too precious!”“60 MILLION BUCKS ON THE LINE AND
NEILL SAYS HE WANTS TO USE HIS BUDDY?”
SHARLTO COPLEYThe fi lm caught
on instantly.