8 Fictional Characters Inspired By David Bowie
3. Brian Slade - Velvet Goldmine
Velvet Goldmine is a weird movie from the late 90s most known for the scene in which Ewan Mcgregor and Christian Bale have sex. Loosely based around real music stars, the movie is a love song to glam rock music and Bowie himself. The movie even takes its title from a David Bowie song. Jonathan Rhys Meyers plays Brian Slade, a straight up inspiration of Bowie, and the movie chronicles his characters rise to stardom, his bisexuality, his relationship with Ewan McGregors rock character Curt Wild (a mix of Iggy Pop, Lou Reed and a little bit of Kurt Cobain), and his sudden death, which Christian Bale investigates.
Despite the fanboy nature surrounding the film and the filmmaker's clear adoration for David Bowie, Bowie was reportedly unhappy with the movies portrayal of fictional him and was appalled at the over-emphasis of the characters bisexuality. Bowie also withheld permission to use his songs in the movies soundtrack. So what started as a loving fanboy homage to a filmmakers favorite musician ended up not going down so well with the musician himself. Ouch.