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
Ewan McGregor and Julia Roberts in "", which was based on Tracy Letts's Pulitzer Prize-winning . McGregor starred in the action comedy film "Mortdecai" (2015), alongside Johnny Depp and Paul Bettany. Robbie Collin of "The Daily Telegraph" felt the film was "psychotically unfunny". He made his directorial debut with "American Pastoral" (2016), in which he also starred. In 2017, he reprised his role as Mark Renton in "T2 Trainspotting". McGregor played Lumiere in the live action adaptation of Disney's "Beauty and the Beast", directed by Bill Condon with an ensemble cast featuring Emma Watson in a leading role alongside Dan Stevens, Luke