The caller ID on my phone screen said “United Arab Emirates,” home of the Yas Marina Circuit, home of the season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix this Nov. 26, and home, apparently, to a lot of race car drivers. It was Jann Mardenborough, the young man whose incredible life story is the subject of the movie, Gran Turismo, in popular release now and also available on many streaming services.
“In one of my first talks I had with a senior producer I only had two stipulations to them: The actor who plays me has to look like me, and they have to have my full name. Because it’s not just me—I was representing my family, my family name. And I was comfortable to trust these people in writing a chapter in my life.”There’s a villain in the movie, played with near-Snidely Whiplash arrogance by actor Josha Stradowski.