Movies
Ritchie based character on Pete Doherty
Published Wednesday, Jul 30 2008, 10:11 BST | By Beth Hilton
Rex Features
Ritchie said the Babyshambles frontman was all over the news when he penned the crime thriller, which he also directed.
He told Empire: "At the time I was writing it, Pete Doherty was everywhere. It's either genius marketing or a happy - or unhappy - accident.... It's creative self-destruction in the sense that he's doing it creatively."
Talking about people's interest in the singer, he added: "[I think what] we all like is someone who fell and then stood up again. And that's probably the story with Pete Doherty.
"There seems to be an implication that people want to see him jump. But at the same time there's a desire to see the likes of him being reborn."
RocknRolla, which stars Gerard Butler, Thandie Newton, Tom Wilkinson and Jeremy Piven, is scheduled for release in September.
Related Stories
Movie Reviews
'Snow White and the Huntsman' reviewKristen Stewart and Charlize Theron employ black magic in this re-imagined fairytale.
Movies Interviews
Snow White and the Huntsman video interviewDigital Spy sits down with the cast of Snow White and the Huntsman.
At the Movies
Charlize Theron: Top 5 movie rolesDigital Spy celebrates Charlize Theron's big week with a look back at her career.
Movies Galleries
Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained: New picsLeonardo DiCaprio, Jamie Foxx and Christoph Waltz appear in new promo shots.
