Highlander stars bring Hollywood buzz to Scotland

Some of Hollywood's biggest names are in Scotland for a remake of the 80s cult hit Highlander - and have been surprising locals by turning up at shops and cafés in the Highlands.

The 1986 sci-fi fantasy is about an immortal Scottish warrior battling his rivals originally starred Christopher Lambert and Sir Sean Connery.

Superman actor Henry Cavill and Guardians of the Galaxy star Karen Gillan have been filming at Eilean Donan Castle - a location that was also in the original.

Gladiator's Russell Crowe has been spotted at a supermarket in Fort William and eating in The Pit Stop at Kintail, where he posed for photos.

Gillan's Guardians co-star Dave Bautista also popped into a café in Drumnadrochit on the shores of Loch Ness.

Filming has been taking place in Glen Coe and the Isle of Skye.

But it should be familiar territory for at least two of the stars.

Karen Gillan grew up in nearby Inverness before a role in Doctor Who propelled her to Hollywood.

Meanwhile, another star of the new film, Kevin McKidd - best known for roles in Trainspotting and Grey's Anatomy - was born in Elgin, Moray.

Murdo MacKinnon, from Kilmuir, credits Gillan with helping him raise almost £10,000 for the Alzheimer's Society during her stay in Skye.

She went unnoticed among a crowd of family and friends who were in Portree Square to meet him at the end of a gruelling 500-mile walk from Fraserburgh.

The Jumanji star filmed his arrival, shared it and his fundraising page with her 7.6 million Instagram followers - then donated £500 herself.

"Nobody had noticed she was here. She had managed to keep herself completely incognito," said Murdo, a postman in the Scottish Borders.

"She'd gone out of her way to film it, she'd gone out of her way to share it, she'd gone out of her way to donate," he added.

"She didn't have to do any of that...[I'm] just really humbled by the kindness."

Gillan and her A-list colleagues have brought a "buzz" to the island, according to Raghnall Robertson, director of Isle of Skye Candle Company.

"We've had films filmed here before but this one seems like a particularly big one," he said.

Locals have enjoyed celebrity-spotting, he added, and his staff were keeping their eyes peeled for famous customers.

"Everyone's keeping their eye out for Superman, I think," he said.

Now there are plans to show the original Highlander at the community cinema in Portree which is operated by the candle firm.

"I remember watching it and seeing a famous fight scene in the Cuillins," the businessman said.

"We thought it's the 40th anniversary, the new one's being filmed, let's put it on for the community."

Allan Macdonald, who runs The Hungry Gull in Staffin, said he grew up watching the original Highlander and even had neighbours who starred as extras.

"I think one of the best things about it is that they've come back and used a lot of the same locations 40 years later," he said.

"I think that's pretty cool in the age of CGI."

But he has yet to see any stars of the new movie in his cafe.

"We can be quite a busy place especially in the middle of the day," he said.

"I don't know how keen Russell Crowe would be to queue half an hour for a gull burger. We live in hope."

However with Skye already very busy with tourists he is cautious about suggestions the film could lead to even more visitors to the island.

"It'll be interesting if people see the place in a different light and maybe put Skye on the radar of even younger people," he said.

"But I don't know how much busier Skye can get really."

Last year's filming of Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey brought stars to the Highlands, and neighbouring Moray.

Tom Holland and co-star Zendaya visited Inverness during a break in production, popping into an ice cream shop.

Holland and Matt Damon were also spotted in Burghead in Moray from where they were taken by boat to nearby Culbin Sands for scenes.

Director Nolan was also out and about, including making a visit to a small cinema in Elgin where he watched F1 The Movie starring Brad Pitt.

Meanwhile, Justin Beiber chose a Dundee pub to film an impromptu music video during a visit to Scotland.

And Toni Collette surprised fans at a special screening of Muriel's Wedding at Glasgow Film Festival last March - she made the trip north while filming in London.