Celebrity legger takes on sea's challenge

Actor Jeremy Irons yesterday prepared himself for his latest role as "celebrity legger" on the Wellington to Sydney run of the BT Global Yachting Challenge.

Irons, star of the controversial film Lolita and other big budget movies, explained that he had been an amateur sailor from the age of five - he was born in Cowes on the Isle of Wight, which bills itself as the home of yachting.

He first won international acclaim 20 years ago for his role in the television series Brideshead Revisited.

Asked if he had paid for his place, like most of the amateur adventurers in the crews, he laughed and said of the parade of interviewers, "I'm paying for it now."

Irons, 52, said he agreed to take part in the round the world race because he was easily bored and needed fresh challenges.

"It is a desire not to hang around. Life is short, I like to do things which test me, surprise me, require risk and which open up things about myself and about life I didn't know."

Is that what drew him to deep and difficult roles? Yes, he said. Numbered among his film successes have been the The French Lieutenant's Woman and Dead Ringers.

His Oscar was won for his part in Reversal of Fortune in 1990, in which he played Claus von Bulow - accused of killing his wealthy New York wife by insulin injection.

When not travelling the world, Irons lives in Ireland with his actress wife Sinead Cusack.

- NZPA

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