Murdoch's Approval Conveyed Through Family

Actor Guy Pearce has said that Rupert Murdoch is "very happy" to see him take on the role of the media mogul in the upcoming film "Ink," directed by Danny Boyle. Pearce shared this during a press conference at the Venice Film Festival, where the film is set to open. According to Pearce, he had been in contact with Murdoch's daughter, Elisabeth, who told him, "Dad's very happy that you're playing him." However, Pearce added a caveat: "But he hadn't seen the film at that point, so we'll see."

The Film and Its Premise

"Ink" is an adaptation of a play by British playwright James Graham, which ran in the West End and on Broadway between 2017 and 2019. The film is set in 1969, the year Murdoch took over the ailing British tabloid The Sun. In the movie, Murdoch installs Larry Lamb, played by Jack O'Connell, with a mission to outsell the Daily Mirror, then Britain's leading tabloid. The story focuses on Murdoch's early years in Britain and his transformative impact on the newspaper industry.

Boyle and Graham on Murdoch's Portrayal

Director Danny Boyle, known for films such as "Trainspotting" and "Slumdog Millionaire," addressed the tone of the film. He said the stage play does not "monsterise" Murdoch, a common tendency in contemporary portrayals. Boyle suggested that Murdoch "represented at the time a breath of fresh air in what was a very, very rigid British society." He also noted that Murdoch faced "a lot of prejudice because he was Australian."

Playwright James Graham elaborated on Murdoch's reaction to the stage version. Murdoch senior reportedly attended performances in the West End and on Broadway. Graham observed that Murdoch was "very good at not really giving anything away," but noted that Murdoch "really enjoyed" a sequence depicting the printing process. "He was really charmed by that," Graham said, adding that this was interesting because "the end of the story is that he's the first to go digital, and Fleet Street is no longer what it was due to his decisions."

Graham also spoke about the broader implications of the Sun's rise. He wanted the script to show the long-term effects of the Sun's disruption on contemporary media. "The tradition of news and journalism in the UK was very much based on the BBC... and then these guys just smashed through with an aggressive attempt at entertainment and fun," he said. Graham remarked that the origins of this story are "never been more embedded in our discourse, with social media and now AI."

Context and Legacy

The film arrives amid continued public fascination with the Murdoch family, which has inspired HBO's "Succession," a series many believe was based on the family despite producers' denials. Murdoch's media empire remains a significant political force in Britain, the United States, and Australia. The 95-year-old mogul has been married five times, and his eldest son, Lachlan, is his chosen successor. A documentary titled "Dynasty: The Murdochs" was released in March, adding to the ongoing examination of the family's influence.

As "Ink" prepares to debut at Venice, the film's portrayal of Murdoch's early career offers a nuanced look at a figure often cast as a villain, with Boyle and Graham emphasizing the man behind the media empire and the era in which he operated.