Trainspotting (film) discussing which chapters of the book would and would not translate into film. Hodge finished the first draft by December. Macdonald secured financing from Channel 4, a British television station known for funding independent films. Pre-production began in April 1995. Ewan McGregor was cast after impressing Boyle and Macdonald with his work on their previous film, "Shallow Grave". According to Boyle, for the role of Renton, they wanted the quality of Michael Caine's character in "Alfie" and Malcolm McDowell's character in "A Clockwork Orange", "repulsive ... with charm "that makes you feel deeply ambiguous about what he's doing." McGregor shaved
Christopher Eccleston when asked if he had enjoyed working on "Doctor Who", Eccleston responded by saying, "Mixed, but that's a long story." Eccleston's reasons for leaving the role continue to be debated in Britain's newspapers: on 4 October 2005 Alan Davies told "The Daily Telegraph" that Eccleston had been "overworked" by the BBC, and had left the role because he was "exhausted". In a 2010 interview, Eccleston said that he left the show because he "didn't enjoy the environment and the culture that the cast and crew had to work in", but that he was proud of having played the role. On