Trainspotting star Ewan McGregor has revised his famous “choose life” speech to help promote his old Perthshire school.
The Crieff-born actor has lent his voice to a new promotional video for the prestigious Morrison’s Academy.
In the eight-minute film, Ewan performs a parody of the monologue which opens his 1995 break-through feature Trainspotting.
Instead of ranting about choosing a “big f***ing television”, he tells prospective students: “Choose Morrison’s, choose a first class education”.
The clip, which has been viewed more than was 6,000 times on social media, was filmed and put together by McGregor’s nephew Jamie, who studied media at Inverness College.
Morrison’s rector Gareth Warren said: “We think Jamie has done an excellent job of capturing what Morrison’s Academy is all about.
“It is lovely to see how well the film has been received online.”
He added: “The McGregor family are very supportive of the school, and during discussions the idea arose of hosting Jamie McGregor for a film-making project as he came to the end of his film-making course.”
Jim and Carol McGregor, Ewan’s parents, were pupils at the school. Jim returned to teach PE for several years and he is now vice president of the Morrison’s Club.
Ewan and older brother Colin both attended. Colin was head boy and a MacRosty medalist.
Ewan, who left school at 16 to pursue his career in acting, can be heard in the video: “Choose a learning community, choose a school family, choose cutting edge technology, choose outdoor classes, clubs and courses, choose the refectory, choose the turkey, choose art, music, drama, choose your learning, choose your friends, choose navy socks and bright red shoes.”
The speech concludes: “Choose being a Morrisonian for life, choose your future, choose Morrison’s Academy.”
In comparison, the Trainspotting voiceover which helped make Ewan a household name goes: “Choose life, choose a job, choose a career, choose a family, choose a f***ing big television, choose washing machines, cars, compact disc players and electrical tin openers, choose good health, low cholesterol, and dental insurance, choose fixed interest mortgage repayments, choose a starter home.”
The speech was also revived and updated for this year’s Trainspotting sequel.
Morrison’s was established in 1860 and has a roll of 441 pupils.
Other notable former students include Ewan’s uncle and fellow actor Denis Lawson and Olympic curling champion Eve Muirhead.
