How an Ullapool musician landed a role in 28 Years Later

A Scots musician suspects a tongue-in-cheek rendition of an England football fan anthem helped to earn him a role in Danny Boyle’s new zombie horror, 28 Years Later.

Ruairidh MacLean, who is from Ullapool and performs as RuMac, is not allowed to speak about the scene he appears in, but is understood to involve a party.

He was cast after two production designers saw him playing a gig in the Highlands and they suggested that Boyle put him in the film, which was released last week.

Accordionist MacLean believed they were at a gig where he received numerous requests from Scotland football fans to play Flower of Scotland, but cheekily responded with an eight-minute version of Three Lions.

MacLean was contacted in April last year about being in the film.

He told BBC Naidheachdan: “I was on a ferry to Uist when I got an email asking if I would be interested in doing something, and I said ‘why not’?”

He later learned that two members of the crew had seen him performing.

“A couple of boys (the production designers) saw me in a pub in Inverness and they recommended Danny look at some of my videos,” he said.

The musician, who describes his music as “weird”, believed the designers had attended a particularly memorable gig.

Scotland fans had asked to him to play Flower of Scotland, but instead he did a cover of Three Lions, a song written David Baddiel, Frank Skinner and pop band The Lightning Seeds for the 1996 Uefa Euros in England.

The musician said: “I got some jeers and boos, but I just fed off the negative energy and enjoyed myself before winning them over with the next tune.”

MacLean performed Sir Tom Jones song, Delilah – but played in a style inspired by Glasgow 1970s rockers The Sensational Alex Harvey Band.

Starring Alfie Williams, Jodi Comer, Ralph Fiennes and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, 28 Years Later is the third film in a trilogy of horror movies set in a Britain ravaged by violent, blood-thirsty zombies.

Boyle directed the original film, 28 Days Later, which was released in 2002.

Maclean is a fan of Boyle’s original movie and said being part of the third instalment was “exciting”.

Maclean said: “I watched the first one when I was way too young to watch it.

He added: “Everything about the filming was good.

“But I can’t talk specifics.”

Without giving away any spoilers, he appears with fellow Gaelic musician Ruairidh Graham, and the two friends shot their scene near Newcastle.

Maclean has had a busy year, having already appeared on ITV show Britain’s Got Talent.

He passed his audition with a rendition of Yes Sir, I Can Boogie – an unofficial anthem of Scotland’s national team.

Maclean reached the show’s semi-finals where he performed A-ha’s Take On Me.

Later this year he will appear at Benbecula’s EDF Festival, and Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival near Beauly.