Brosnan Holds His Fire

As America gets to grips with what is and isn't acceptable on film in the light of September 11, it's clear that one thing won't be tolerated and that's anything that smacks of making money from the disaster. That may explain the vitriolic reaction to American author Elissa Wald, whose book Holding Fire, is based on her relationship with a New York fireman who died at the World Trade Centre. So when news broke that Pierce Brosnan's film production company Dreamtime had taken an option on the film, the actor quickly became another target for protestors. Currently filming Evelyn in Ireland, both Brosnan and his Dreamtime partner Beau St Claire, took the opportunity to explain their involvement in the film. 'Holding Fire was being made by the executive in Hollywood who oversaw Bond and Thomas Crown,' St Claire told ShowbizIreland.com, 'and we were supporting him on developing the script for over a year.' 'That was long before September 11th. We are in early days - we were creatively getting the book into a script.' As for internet rumours that Brosnan himself was going to play the fireman, Pierce was keen to clear those rumours up, explaining that the film was in such early stages that any such rumours had no basis in fact. 'This has been floating around for a long time and is something I know little about,' he said. 'It came to my company through an executive in Hollywood. I have read an article that was not that negative but I don't know if we are going to make it or not.' Female fans of Mr Brosnan who were panting at the thought of their hero in a fireman's uniform are said to be inconsolable.