Highland man's brush with fame in Netflix hit A Castle for Christmas as he shares 'selfie' with Hollywood actress Brooke Shields
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A HIGHLAND chef has made it onto the small screen this Christmas with a speaking part in a film that has divided the nation.
Johan Sikkema (36) managed to bag a speaking part in one of 2021's most viewed films, A Castle for Christmas, and appeared on screen with Hollywood actress Brooke Shields.
Mr Sikkema, who uses the name Family_is_our_thing on Instagram, got the part after believing he was there to appear as an extra.
But the dad of six was chosen by director Mary Lambert, to say the line "I have read all your books, can I have a selfie?", which appears on screen about half way through the film.
Mr Sikkema, of Inverness, said: "I was delighted to be part of the filming down at Dalmeny House near Edinburgh.
"It seems like a long time ago now, as it was back in January 2020."
Known in the film as Dun Dunbar Castle, the real "castle" is Dalmeny House near Edinburgh.
He continued: "I was booked as a walk on, but then one of the crew came and said that there were a couple of lines that people could say.
"About a dozen of us were then asked to line up in front of the director and say the line.
"After we all said the line, I was chosen to appear on screen.
"It isn't a huge thing, but it was really nice to be asked."
Meanwhile, the film itself has divided the nation with those who love it, or loathe it.
On the Rotten Tomatoes review site, it has an audience score of 38 per cent.
Variety magazine described it as "sincere, aspirational sentiments about it never being too late to write your own second chapter feel genuinely meaningful".
While Asher Luberto from The Playlist said: "While some would still rather claw their eyes out before watching two people fall in love under a blanket of snow, most of us are happy to sit back and enjoy the cinematic equivalent of a hot chocolate on a cold, winter's night."
Brian Viner from the Daily Mail said: "The plot, like Shields herself, is as wooden as a caber."
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