KUALA LUMPUR: Actors Bront Palarae and Shaheizy Sam will star alongside Irish actor Jonathan Rhys Meyers in Malaysia’s first Hollywood epic film White Rajah.
The two award-winning actors have been roped in for the film which is based on the white rajah of Borneo, James Brooke.
Sitting in the director’s chair is Michael Haussman, the award-winning American filmmaker whose works included music videos for superstars like Madonna and Justin Timberlake.
Also joining Bront and Shaheizy in the production is the illustrious veteran actor Datuk Rahim Razali.
While Meyers will play Brooke, Bront takes the role of Brooke’s biggest rival for power Pengiran Indera Mahkota. Shaheizy plays Brooke’s lifetime Malay companion, while Rahim goes all regal as the Sultan of Brunei.
The film is made with the support of the Sarawak Tourism Board and the Film In Malaysia Incentive’s rebate on Qualifying Malaysian Production Expenditure. The Brooke Heritage Trust serves as the film’s technical advisory.
“We’ve taken over the whole Borneo 744 complex in Kuching for our workshops, production offices and sound stages,” said producer Rob Allyn in a news report today.
Filming begins today and is expected to wrap up by end of next month.