Brit Gregory set to tackle 'Brian Jones'

'Yank' thesp joins Considine, Morrissey in biopic

By ADAM DAWTREY

LONDON -- Leo Gregory will play the late Rolling Stones guitarist in "The Wild and Wycked World of Brian Jones," Stephen Woolley's directorial debut after a 20-year producing career.

Rising Brit actor Gregory starred in Dominic Savage's Edinburgh honoree "Out of Control" and appears alongside Elijah Wood in the upcoming soccer hooligan pic "The Yank."

With Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Jones founded the Stones and was the group's creative leader in its early years, a role he lost as Jagger and Richards dominated songwriting duties. (Jones never wrote a song for the Stones.) He fell into a downward spiral of debauchery, was arrested for drugs and was a no-show at gigs and sessions, eventually leading to his release from the band in 1969. He was found dead at the bottom of his swimming pool about four weeks later.

The official verdict was accidental death, but several books have offered evidence that Jones was killed by Frank Thoroughgood, the builder who was working on his house. Thoroughgood allegedly confessed to the deed on his deathbed.

Paddy Considine ("In America") has been cast as Thoroughgood. David Morrissey ("The Deal") will play Jones' minder Tom. Ben Whishaw (recently acclaimed as Hamlet on the London stage) is playing Keith Richards, with the roles of Mick Jagger and Anita Pallenberg, Jones' girlfriend, yet to be cast.

Woolley has been developing the project for a decade with scripters Neal Purvis and Rob Wade. In that time, several actors have been connected to the Jones role, including Paul Bettany, Tom Hardy and Jonathan Rhys-Myers.

Shooting starts Sept. 26 on location in London. Pic is being financed by Paul White's Audley Films and sold worldwide by Intandem Films. Finola Dwyer is producing.