Ewan McGregor’s novel prep for directing debut

What would you do if your daughter turned to extreme behaviour, blowing up the local post office?

This is the situation in which Swede Levov, played by Ewan McGregor, finds himself in new film American Pastoral.

“It’s an amazing story and it’s the kind of movie we don’t get the chance to make much any more — a real drama, about real people in a real situation,” says Ewan.

The Star Wars actor’s work on the film extended behind the camera, too, with the movie of a hit novel showcasing his directorial debut.

“When I got the green light to direct, I started living in the novel — I read it over and over,” says Ewan, 45.

“Philip Roth wrote the book and it’s about, in broad terms, the post-war American dream — hope and aspiration — being decimated by the 60s and Vietnam.

“He wrote it through the lens of this family — a successful couple who have a daughter who falls into politics and becomes radicalised and they lose her to terrorism.

“I suppose I started off by being drawn to this father,” Ewan, who recently filmed the sequel to Trainspotting, reveals.

“I’m a father of four girls and Swede has a daughter, Mary.

“So there were things in the relationship that just touched me very deeply, and I felt like I recognised things in it.

“I don’t have any experience of the enormity and the tragedy that they go through, but there was something about the essence of this man. I felt I had to play him.

“And when it got to this point where it seemed like the film wouldn’t happen, it was my wife who said: ‘You should direct.’

“I had wanted to direct for years and she opened my eyes to the fact that I should think about directing this one.”

It’s a great movie for any director to get involved in, it’s so powerful.

Twilight actress Dakota Fanning plays Swede’s daughter Mary and says: “Some of the things that she does in the film and some of her beliefs are very violent and aggressive and radical.

“But I think it’s important to remember that these are just her beliefs.”

Uzo Aduba, meanwhile, is best known for her brilliant portrayal of Crazy Eyes in Orange is the New Black, but was thrilled to be on the silver screen, saying: “I was truly grateful for being asked to be a part of this.

“It’s exciting, thrilling and satisfying to read a story that’s similar to a play, which is very different from being in television.

“But it was just great speaking to Ewan as he was excited and passionate and had a clear idea of the story he wanted to tell.”

Ewan adds: “I wanted to direct in the way I like to be directed.

“I’ve worked with some amazing directors and I’ve picked up stuff from all of them — good and bad, I guess.

“And I’ve also worked with all these creative people — the cinematographer and the designer, to name just two.

“That’s what was really thrilling for me, an opportunity to work on a deeper level with those people than I normally would be able to as an actor.”

American Pastoral is in cinemas now.

Ewan McGregor to take director’s chair in Philip Roth’s American Pastoral film