DAVID BECKHAM invited Manchester United pals Gary and Phil Neville to a private screening of Bend It Like Beckham.
The former England captain had been chosen as the inspiration for the 2002 sports film over his Red Devils teammate Ryan Giggs.
David Beckham took former Manchester United teammates Gary and Phil Neville to a VIP screening of Bend It Like BeckhamCredit: Getty Images – Getty
The sports film was almost named after Old Trafford legend Ryan GiggsCredit: Alamy
And Becks chose to celebrate its release with the people most important to him – wife Victoria… and Old Trafford friends Gary and Phil Neville.
The foursome attended a private screening of the film in the VIP area of a cinema in Manchester alongside actress Parminder Nagra, who played Jess, the film’s director and her husband Paul.
Gurinder Chadha, who also wrote Bend It Like Beckham, revealed the footballers all attacked the popcorn and nachos that had been laid on.
She told the Athletic: “It’s just meant to be David and us.
I said to Paul, ‘why has he brought these young boys with him?’ That’s when he kicked me and said, ‘that’s Gary and Phil Neville’
Bend It Like Beckham director
“Then David came in with Victoria and he brought these two young boys with him, and I was like ‘who are they?’ They all jumped on the food.
“I said to Paul, ‘why has he brought these young boys with him?’ That’s when he kicked me and said, ‘that’s Gary and Phil Neville’. That was how little I knew!
“It’s so interesting with Phil’s job now (head coach of England women), he saw the first print of the film.
“They all loved it and I think David was, 1) shocked seeing his face everywhere on the screen, and 2) genuinely impressed with the football.
“It was at that point I could breathe. It was OK. He had seen it, he liked it, and that was important to me.”
Chadha also revealed why Goldenballs Beckham was chosen over United teammate Giggs as the film’s title.
She added: “David was this young kid from Essex, he was living the dream at Man United, and what I liked about him is he had become a gay icon and he wasn’t fazed by it, he accepted it, plus he was going out with a Spice Girl.
“Here was this concept of him being ‘the new man’. He was challenging femininity and masculinity in an interesting way, and that’s why I went for him.
Posh and Becks joined the Neville brothers for the films openingCredit: Getty Images – Getty
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
