Ewan McGregor has described reuniting with his fellow Trainspotting stars to reprise their original characters in the sequel as an “amazing” experience.

The actor also said he has done the best work of his career for director Danny Boyle, with whom he still has a “wonderful dynamic”.

Ewan was joined by Danny and his co-stars Jonny Lee Miller, Robert Carlyle and Ewen Bremner, in Edinburgh for the world premiere of T2 Trainspotting on Sunday.

Danny Boyle (Jane Barlow/PA)
Danny Boyle (Jane Barlow/PA)

They were greeted by the crowds as they walked the orange carpet ahead of the showing at Fountain Park, which was also attended by Trainspotting original cast member Kelly Macdonald and Anjela Nedyalkova – who plays the lead female character Veronika in T2.

The sequel comes 21 years after the first film, which followed a group of heroin addicts and explored urban poverty in Scotland’s capital.

It is based on the novel of the same name by Irvine Welsh, with T2 based on his book Porno.

Ewan McGregor and Kelly Macdonald (Jane Barlow/PA)
Ewan McGregor and Kelly Macdonald (Jane Barlow/PA)

Set in the present day, the main characters – Renton (Ewan), Sick Boy (Jonny Lee Miller), Spud (Ewen Bremner) and Begbie (Robert Carlyle) are now middle-aged.

“It is quite daunting to come back to a character who is so well known and loved,” said Ewan.

“Like all of the characters in Trainspotting, they are people who we feel like we know.

“They are like people who we have really met in life – Begbie, Sickboy, Spud and Diane.

“It was sort of daunting, but I am Renton, and Renton is me.

“I haven’t lived in Scotland since I was 17 years old and there was a sort of trepidation about coming back, thinking maybe I don’t have it any more, but then Renton hasn’t been in Scotland for 20 years either because he’s been in Amsterdam, so our stories are not dissimilar I guess.”

The stars film Trainspotting 2 (Sony Pictures Releasing (UK)/Press Association Images)
Trainspotting 2 (Sony Pictures Releasing (UK)/Press Association Images)

Ewan, who made his international breakthrough with the first film, also spoke fondly of reuniting with Boyle and his castmates, despite not having seen some of them in the intervening years.

He added: “It was very lovely to work with Danny again. I didn’t feel like that had changed. The dynamic there was wonderful, and I found him to be a director who pushes you.

“He is somebody I have done my best work for, I think he pulls great work out of actors. He knows how to do that somehow.

“Just being back with these characters again. Looking back into the eyes of Sickboy again, looking into the eyes of Spud, Begbie and Diane.

“It was amazing. That was the best bit, they are like people we know.”