Hugh Dancy plays Luke Brandon: ambitious and intensely driven, he is the workaholic young editor of a financial magazine. Isla Fisher stars as Rebecca Bloomwood, a journalist who works for him. Extravagant and frivolous, she is a compulsive shopper and ostensibly the two have nothing whatsoever in common. But sparks fly and these charismatic characters are inextricably - and drawn to each other. CONFESSIONS OF A SHOPAHOLIC:  based on the bestselling novel by Sophia Kinsella, is set to be a compelling, entertaining and altogether hilarious romantic comedy, directed by P.J. Hogan.               
It would appear that Hugh Dancy's handsome and driven character, Luke Brandon, detests everything that his beautiful employee, Rebecca Bloomwood stands for. While she is stylish, stunning and obsessed with fashion - he is only obsessed with work and furthering his brilliant career. She is hopelessly addicted to shopping; he stays as far away from stores as possible. She finds retail therapy intoxicating.  It is not something that interests him at all. He gets his kicks as editor of SUCCESSFUL SAVING MAGAZINE. Yet there is clearly something that draws these two people together - call it chemistry. Or perhaps it is the simple truth that opposites never fail to attract. Considering her own finances are in tatters, it is highly ironic that she gets a job as a financial advice columnist, imparting words of economic wisdom to her avid readers. The scene is set for a very funny and vibrant comedy. 
Joining Dancy and Fisher is a formidable supporting cast including Kristin Scott Thomas, Lynn Redgrave, Joan Cusack and John Goodman.  P.J. Hogan is the director of the film, which is produced by Jerry Bruckheimer.   

British actor Hugh Dancy, 33, began his career in the theater and has appeared in numerous TV productions and films. He won impressive reviews early on, starring in the UK TV show, COLD FEET, followed by the BBC's MADAME BOVARY and DANIEL DERONDA. He also starred in the acclaimed TV drama: ELIZABETH I. His film credits include: BLACK HAWK DOWN, ELLA ENCHANTED, KING ARTHUR, BASIC INSTINCT 2, BLOOD AND CHOCOLATE, SAVAGE GRACE, EVENING and THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB.   
On the Manhattan set of the film, in the Grand Salon at the Jumeirah Essex House Hotel, the main characters   are shooting a crucial scene. They are attending a prestigious charity ball and Luke has to come to the rescue of Becky, who is in danger of embarrassing herself and ruining the evening.  During a break from filming, Dancy, looking handsome and debonair, the essence of sartorial elegance in a Prada tuxedo, sits down to talk about his role - and his burgeoning Hollywood career.
 
Q: How thrilling was it to get the role?
A: "It was very exciting.  First of all I met Isla with P.J. Hogan (director) and Jerry Bruckheimer a couple of times in Los Angeles and I knew that   were looking all over the world for the right actor, they cast their net very wide, so I was delighted that it worked out and I got the part.  I already felt like I had struck a good working relationship with Isla and with P.J., because we had talked a lot about the story and the tone.  Of course as an actor, you always know you are in good hands with Jerry and I have worked with him before. This was such a great opportunity to work with a fantastic director and such a strong cast."

Q: What kind of man is your character, Luke Brandon?
A: "He is the editor of a small financial magazine. He has been brought on board to run the magazine, essentially to give it a bit of a kick and a boost because it has not been doing too well. He is a young, very driven British guy in Manhattan, perhaps almost a little too driven, to the point at which it is detrimental. Isla's character Rebecca has a weakness for shopping, she can't stop, and my weakness is probably that I am a workaholic. Through a series of misadventures, Isla ends up working for my financial magazine, and it appears that we are two opposite characters with nothing in common, but it soon becomes apparent that we are more compatible than we would imagine."

Q: How different is Luke from Becky?
A: "I am not at all interested in fashion, I am not into appearances. We discover as the story progresses, that there is actually a specific reason for that, because I have been raised by a mother who is far too concerned with appearances, so I have rejected shopping, fashion and style as completely trivial. I have rejected a family with money and social standing, in order to work for something that I believe in and make it in the world on my own terms. So on the surface, I am opposed to everything that Becky stands for, so how could we have anything in common? But this journey, as we discover, is about overcoming those initial blocks as we get to know each other."

Q: What is it like working with Isla?
A: "It is fantastic. I think that chemistry is crucial and you have to have a good time working together. We do have great chemistry; I always think that chemistry is largely the result of hard work though. There are many examples of movies in which two actors   appeared to have a wonderful time making the film, yet they produced absolute rubbish. So I like to feel that Isla and I are striking a good balance and it certainly feels that way. It is really good fun, she is incredibly energized and she is totally committed to the project. I knew that from the minute we started. The first time I even met her, before we began filming, she had thrown herself into the character.  Isla and P.J. took it very seriously, even though it is a comedy and that was very reassuring to me.  It is so easy to think, 'oh well it is a romantic comedy, it is light and easy, so we somehow don't need to do as much work as we would do in a serious drama', but that is not true at all.   A lot of romantic comedies are made that way, but not by these people and not by Isla."

Q: "How much physical comedy is there?
A: "There is a little bit of physical comedy, but much more for Isla's character, who is very extreme in some   ways. Becky is an exceptional person who does not necessarily think of herself as exceptional, so she is the focus of a lot of the crazier aspects of the comedy. I am not as crazy on the surface. I am much more serious and grounded and very focused on work and my career.  I am not at all frivolous and perhaps not frivolous enough in fact. That is what Becky brings to me, she lightens me up."

Q: What is it like working with P.J. Hogan the director?
A: "P.J. is great, he seems to have a really good handle on controlling a set, but also introducing the element of creativity and slight lunacy that you require to make a comedy like this. You've got to have the potential for something unexpected to happen and that certainly is the case under his watch."

Q: What's the biggest challenge for you in this film?
A: "The challenge for me is hitting the right note and I think that is true for everybody, although everybody has a different place that they fit in. For me it is providing the grounding and solidity to the story, because you do have to care about these two characters and whether they will get together. But you also have to remember that you are all in the same comedy and it has to work as a whole, so you have to judge that right and make sure you are serving the story."   

Q: Can you explain what is going on in the scene you are filming today?
A: "The sequence today is at a big charity ball, which comes after I have had my first close and friendly experience with Isla. Then I drop the bombshell on her that I am going to the ball with another girl. At the ball though, Isla finds herself in the embarrassing position of being mistaken for the waitress (because her dress is similar to the waitress's outfits), which is horrendous for her, because she is in front of a potential future employer whom she wants to impress. So I leap out of my seat and save the day. I basically get her out of a tight spot. I grab the tray of food and serve the table myself, taking as much attention as I can away from her and everything is ok. Then we can get on with the evening. I am the knight in shining armor. But during the rest of the movie I have not been particularly chivalrous. In fact at times I have been verging on abrasive towards her, so this time I am showing my true colors, my positive side."

Q: You look handsome and stylish for this scene; can you talk about Luke's style in general? 
A: "Well I am in costume in a black tuxedo. But this scene marks the turning point for me. Just prior to the ball, Becky has insisted on taking me shopping and we have been to Prada, so I am getting more of a sense of style, I did not have any before. We had a classic makeover scene, except that it is different from the usual makeovers you see in movies, because this time it is the guy getting the entirely new look. She pulls me together and sorts me out and tells me to 'get over myself' and get some decent clothes."

Q: How would you describe your style in real life; I know you have done some modeling?
A: "I did do some modeling for Burberry, but I do not think of myself as someone who is obsessed with the latest fashion. I suppose, working in the film business and particularly on a film like this, you can't help being aware of style to a certain extent and I certainly appreciate the clothes I get to wear in this movie. Not surprisingly, in general I wear a lot of Burberry, which comes from laziness as much as anything else, but I do like their clothes a lot. Otherwise I am pretty casual, it is rare that I would throw on a suit, unless there was a very good reason."             

Q: How do you view your career right now, you have already played such diverse roles in really good films?
A: "I think I have the same criteria that I always have had since starting my career. I just like to work with good people, if you are careful about the people you decide to work with, then you have a certain safety net. I have never been the kind of actor who sat down and planned out a strategy, mapping everything out. I never said: 'ok I did a comedy, now I want to do an action movie then a drama', because I don't think that is the way things pan out naturally."

Q: You come from an academic   background, is it true that you initially got into acting in a highly unusual way?
A: "It is true.  When I was at school at 13 years old I got sent to the school theater as a punishment, to keep me under control and out of trouble.  I was at boarding school and had been misbehaving and I was not under supervision when I was meant to be, that kind of thing, it seems kind of ridiculous now. I was sent to study drama under duress and never left, I loved it. I fitted in and really enjoyed the whole experience.  My school, Winchester, was not a really playful environment and acting was great for me, because it provided that playfulness and creativity I needed.      So I stuck around, I felt comfortable acting."       

Q: Do you have any role models?
A: "There is no one particular role model. There are many people who I have watched and admired over the years. A film like this is great for me because it resembles the old romantic comedies, the screwball comedies I grew up with, starring Cary Grant, James Stewart - even Clark Gable, all of those guys. But the people I admire the most are the people I have worked with so far and who have proved to be as admirable in real life as they are on screen, really lovely people: John Hurt and Helen Mirren - just to name a couple."           

Q: How are you coping with heartthrob status? Is it enjoyable?
A: "It is great, it is delightful; I can think of a lot worse things to be called and I think in a movie like this or THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB, there is a romantic element and the heartthrob thing will inevitably follow, but for me it only works if the underlying structure   of the film is good.  Nobody is going to care about you or think you are attractive just because you look nice and come over well on screen, if the film is no good. You are reliant upon all the people    you work with to make you look good, primarily the scriptwriter, but of course the director and other actors too."       

Q: Given the unusual way you started - is acting now a huge passion?
A: "It is, I cannot think of anything else I would rather be doing. It is a privilege to be an actor, especially if you are lucky enough to work. I am so lucky."

Q: Finally, what is the overall appeal of this film would you say?
A: "It is much more than a 'chick flick'. I think the overall appeal is what made the book so successful, which is just this fantastical and extreme story that is also honest and relatable.  There is something true and recognizable about Rebecca, that central character, she is in total denial of all her problems, but she is a very real person, so I think a lot of people can identify with her and with this film, even though it is very heightened in some ways. It is going to be great fun."

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