During the 1970s Stephen Smith was a drug addict who lived as a homeless person in Aberdeen, Dundee and other UK cities. He overcame his addiction to amphetamines when he met a German student, fell in love with her and married her. He now lives in Germany and works as a property developer. He does voluntary work with recovering drug addicts.

He wrote his book called Addict about his real life experiences of drugs and crime. It sold over 1 million copies Worldwide.

The film rights were bought by Star Wars producer Gary Kurtz. He wanted Robbie Williams to play the lead role, but though the fee was £1 million he declined. Robbie Williams father, Pete Conway, was also approached to star as Stephen Smith's father.

Stephen Smith then rewrote the script.

The film rights were then purchased by Westworld International Films. Production of the film Addict starts in January 2006, based on Stephen Smith's biographical book Addict. Some of the scenes will be shot in Aberdeen and Dundee. Local people may have the opportunity to appear in the film as extras.

The film is to be directed by actor Andy Serkis who is most famous as the computer generated character Gollum in The Lord of the Rings Trilogy films, the voice of King Kong and the character of Lumpy the Cook in the Peter Jackson 2005 film King Kong and as Bill Sikes in the TV Oliver Twist production of 1999. Addict will be the first film he has directed, though after Addict he will be directing the film Muybridge in 2007. It is about Eadweard Muybridge a pioneering photographer who is famed as the Godfather of Cinema and a self confessed murderer.

The film is already being compared to Trainspotting by author Irvine Welsh which was also made into a film directed by Danny Boyle and starred Ewan McGregor, James Cosmo, Peter Mullan, Kelly Macdonald, Ewen Bremner, Kevin McKidd and Robert Carlyle. Though Stephen Smith says it does not have a happy ending and will focus on the horror of drug taking.

Purchase the book Addict written by Stephen Smith at a discounted price with free delivery available.

More famous Aberdonians.

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