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Calgary teacher and musician Dan McDougall’s stint on Brokeback Mountain was a hair-raising experience.
In Ang Lee’s acclaimed western, McDougall plays the bartender who suggests Jake Gyllenhaal’s rodeo hopeful switch from riding bulls to roping calves.
McDougall shot his scene last August.
“When you get lines in a movie they pay you really well, but I’d have done it for free just for the experience,” says McDougall, who teaches biology at Bishop O’Byrne and fronts the local classic rock band The Livin’ Daylights.
In 2000, McDougall used his sabbatical to study Russian history at the U of C. He also took a drama class.
“At the end of the year, the prof suggested I get an agent because, being in my 40s, he felt I had age on my side.”
His audition for Brokeback was harrowing.
“They had sent me the wrong script so I didn’t have time to prepare. The part they wanted me to read for was tough guy bartender. I was certain I wouldn’t get it.”
Three weeks later McDougall received word the part was his.
The day he arrived on set, the costume and make-up people started shaking their heads.
“I wear my hair long for our band and they felt it was all wrong for the look. They wanted to cut most of it off.”
It was Lee who came to the rescue.
He overheard the discussion and suggested the make-up people braid McDougall’s hair and hide it under a wig.
“That worked until they decided to shoot scenes of Jake over my shoulder.
“Ang came up and asked if I’d let them cut my hair. Of course, I said yes. I told him being in his movie was more important than my hair. Besides, hair grows.”
A year later when Lee flew into Calgary for the special crew and cast screening of Brokeback, he singled McDougall out at the party.
“He thanked me for making such a sacrifice for his movie. That’s the kind of amazing guy Ang Lee is.”
McDougall was also impressed by Gyllenhaal: “He’s incredibly professional for someone so young. He can turn on his character the instant cameras role and he’s so convincing.
“The first time I delivered my line he barked back at me with such intensity that he frightened me. Ang came running over to explain I was supposed to be the toughest one in that scene.
“I just hadn’t expected such intensity from Jake.”
McDougall says once cameras stopped rolling Gyllenhaal could turn into a real prankster.