Actress Simon is not a Virtual Character

Simon, main character of a recently released movie `Simon`, finally came to limelight in two years.

Rumors have it that Simon is a virtual character made by computer graphic, but she turned out to be a real person named Rachel Roberts, a Canadian fashion model.

Director of `Simon` Andrew Nicole said in time with the release of the movie, "98% of Simon is Rachel Roberts and Simon`s voice was the composition of voices of several female actresses."

`Simon` is a comedy that describes what happens as film director Victor (Al Pacino) deceives the media and public as if virtual character Simon were real.

As rumors came around that Simon was made by the computer, the entire Hollywood was thrilled, saying that the technological advancement made a digital actress just as same as a real one.

The movie`s producer New Line Cinema has declined to reveal whether Simon was real or not in an attempt to maximize the marketing impact, and introduced the name of the actress as Simon herself. Even the company did not use the actress`s real name, Rachel Roberts, in the credit.

`Simon` is the first movie for Rachel Roberts. She was cast after pledging that she would keep the secret under any circumstances. Roberts appeared in shooting places wearing a wig and disguised. She used a false name, Anna Green, so even staff did not recognized her to be Simon.

She said, "Now I am feeling much more comfortable since I can say I am Simon. My name was not on the film credit, but the company said my name will be on the video- and DVD-versions."

Sue-Jean Kang sjkang@donga.com