Saintly Ioan!

icWales: Saintly Ioan will film in Westminster Abbey---

IT SEEMS that Ioan Gruffudd has pulled off a feat which even Hollywood heavyweight Tom Hanks couldn't manage - filming at Westminster Abbey.

The Welsh actor has been cast as William Wilberforce in his new movie Amazing Grace.

And the film's executives have reportedly been granted permission to film some of the scenes in Westminster Abbey, which is one of the nation's most hallowed spots.

The news will not go down well with the people behind next year's blockbuster, The Da Vinci Code, starring Hanks, as they were barred from filming at the Abbey.

Cardiff-born Gruffudd will start rehearsing his latest role next week before filming starts at the end of the month.

Amazing Grace has been written by Steven Knight and is said to be a compelling love story.

It follows the fortunes of the idealist William Wilberforce who manoeuvres his way through Parliament in 18th century-England, endeavouring to end slavery in the empire.

Directed by Michael Apted, the film tells how he met his wife and how the animal-lover and sometime singer effected great changes in the face of major resistance.

As Wilberforce is buried at the Abbey, some of the scenes are set to be filmed there.

But bosses at the Abbey have refused to let cameras for The Da Vinci Code roll within the grounds of the cathedral, as they disagreed with aspects of the best-selling novel by Dan Brown upon which the movie is based.

In the film, Hanks plays Harvard symbologist Robert Langdon who stumbles across an enigmatic riddle when he discovers the body of the curator of the Louvre, in Paris.

He later learns the late curator was involved in the Priory of Sion - an actual secret society - who claim to know the secrets of the Holy Grail.

But the book has been criticised by religious groups and the Vatican said that it was full of "shameful and unfounded lies".

The book's central claim is that the Holy Grail is the bloodline descended from Jesus and Mary Magdalene, who were married and had a child.

It claims the church has suppressed this "truth" and has undermined the role of women in Christianity.

The author has claimed that the art, architecture, secret rituals and societies depicted in the novel are "historical fact".

But his claims have not gone down well with religious leaders and the film crew have been forced to shoot elsewhere.

But it seems that Amazing Grace has found favour with the Abbey's leaders.

Last night a spokesman for Westminster Abbey said they had no confirmation that Amazing Grace would be filmed at the cathedral.

Amazing Grace is the latest major movie to feature 32-year-old Gruffudd.

He was last seen on the big screen in the comic strip movie Fantastic Four in which he played the leading role of Mr Fantastic.

Since moving to Los Angeles, Gruffudd's Hollywood career has gone from strength to strength - he has also appeared in King Arthur alongside Keira Knightley.

He is enjoying life in the States and does not envisage returning to Wales in the near future.

"I went out [to Los Angeles] with the ambition of making movies, and they make more movies in Los Angeles," said Gruffudd, who was made a member of the Gorsedd of Bards at the 2003 National Eisteddfod.

"I want to work there as much as possible and be able to live there. I've fallen in love with living in LA.

"But as a Welshman I always have a hiraeth for Wales and home, although it's important to broaden your horizons and get out there and see the world and experience different cultures."

You can find information about the two movies (actors, directors, etc.), here.

I am so excited for Amazing Grace. It is such a beautiful story and there is no doubt Ioan Gruffudd will do an excellent job as William Wilberforce. I wonder if he will do any singing? He has a lovely voice.