Snapshots from The Beach
I was Leo's Double

Ole Johan Roska, a 23 year old student from Norway, talks exclusively with thaistudents.com about his experiences of being Leonardo DiCaprio's double on the set of his latest movie, The Beach.

Question: How did you first get involved with the movie?

Ole: The first time I got in touch with the casting crew, was in Bangkok. It was at the end of November 1998, and I had just been released from the Bangkok Adventist Hospital (I had got dengue-fever in Laos). They were walking down Khao San Road, looking for people to be extras in 'The Beach'. They asked me to go on an audition the very next day, but I couldn't because I was still really tired after the dengue fever. But they were also out looking for people on Koh Phang Nang, around Bangkok and other places where backpackers were. They also put up posters in guesthouses and places like that, asking for extras for the movie. I sent in an application later and got the job as an extra.

Question: May I ask how much money they paid the extras?

Ole: It was 900 baht (US$24) per day for the extras, which is a lot of money in Thailand.

Question: Yes it certainly is! That is more than we get paid as teachers. Had you read the book before?

Ole: I read the book last November, and I really thought it was good, and it made it even more exciting that I actually read it in Thailand. And three months later I was in the movie, that was incredible. At the beginning I couldn't believe it.

Question: So, like the character Richard in the movie played by Leonardo DiCaprio, you were also a real backpacker?

Ole: I had been backpacking in south-east Asia for about 6 months. Thailand is an amazing country and I spent about 5 months there. I have been everywhere in your amazing country and I might go back there for this Christmas. After I finished work as an extra in Krabi, for three days and nights, I left Thailand and went to Sumatra in Indonesia.

Question: So you weren't cast as Leonardo's double to start with?

Ole: No, I was in Indonesia for about 3 weeks, when I got an e-mail from Non from the casting team of The Beach. She said that if I wanted the job as Leonardo's double I would have to go to Phuket straight away. Of course I said yes. I went back to Thailand for the audition and got the job.

Question: Were you surprised?

Ole: Yes, I was very surprised when they asked me to be his double. I have never identified myself as being like Leo.

Question: What did your family and friends think?

Ole: My friends at home were really surprised as well! But people on the set and others said that we looked really alike. I had some funny episodes when people for real thought I was Leo.

Question: Was the work glamorous?

Ole: It was long days and hard work, not so much glamour, as I believe people think it is. But it was great, I had a good time for the seven weeks I was there. But of course there were some really hard days too. Overall, it was a great opportunity for me to see how they made a Hollywood movie. I got to meet a lot of great people, Danny, Darius, Leo, Virginie, Robert Carlyle plus many more. A lot of great people.

Question: Did you meet Leo?

Ole: Yes, I met Leo. I saw him about every day on the set. He was really nice to me. He is a nice guy and I spoke some words with him.

Question: What exactly is the job of a double?

Ole: They used me as a double for the scenes that are not so important and where they need a person who looks like Leo. For example, I was in Bangkok with a camera team while Leo was in Phuket filming some other scenes. I was used for about 12 scenes where it will look like Leo in the movie but it was really me.

Question: Which scenes will you be seen in?

Ole: I can't talk about the scenes. I am sorry. I have signed a contract which says that I can't say anything about the movie.

Question: Never mind. Actually, we did see you at work one day when we visited the location back in March. We took some pictures of you and the other backpackers.

Ole: Yes, I remember you at the beach. We were filming a bus scene, a hot day.

Question: What are you doing now?

Ole: Now I am back at school in Norway, and I am studying tv-production. I want to start working behind the camera, and I have already made some short movies, which were really fun to make. I hope to get work in a tv station in about one year, earn some money, and come back to Thailand.

Question: Do you think you will do more work as an actor?

Ole: It would be fun to do some more work in front of the camera, but I think I will stay behind it in the future.

Question: I am sure a lot of the Leonardo fans will be interested in you. I know they won't forgive me if I don't ask you this one last question. Do you have a steady girlfriend?

Ole: I have a special girl in my heart. But, if people want to contact me, they can do it at: roska76@yahoo.com.

Question: Thanks for taking the time to talk to us. Do you have one last thing to say?

Ole: Yes, I hope the people will enjoy The Beach when it comes out. I was really excited to work on it. I remember it as if it was yesterday.

This is a picture we took ourselves of Ole when we visited the set in March 1999. The location is Hat Surin on the island of Phuket. In the movie, this is the scene when the three main characters first arrive on Koh Pha Ngan. They come here to look for a boat to take them to the mysterious island.

When we took these pictures, Leonardo had already finished his close-ups and had returned to the film studio to work on other scenes. The second unit film crew were being used to shoot some wider shots of the bus as it arrives at the bungalows on Pha Ngan island. Ole is sitting in this bus pretending to be Leonardo. He is wearing exactly the same clothes. You will never see his face in the movie. They will cut between these wide shots and the close-ups of Leonardo taken earlier in the day. No-one will know the difference.

Ole Johan Roska was talking to Richard Barrow, a teacher at Sriwittayapaknam School in Thailand and the webmaster of thaistudents.com. The interview was conducted by e-mail.

The photographs on this page are owned by Ole Johan Roska and thaistudents.com. The pictures cannot be reproduced elsewhere without their permission first.


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