Showing posts with label Casting News. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Casting News. Show all posts

Casting News: Talulah Riley cast in a new film 'The Liability'

Posted by Le on Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Deadline reports that Talulah Riley will be co-starring in a new film titled The Liability.
“a darkly comic road trip taken by an aspiring hit man and a veteran assassin who hates proteges and dreams of retiring. They come across a beautiful and deadly female vigilante who forces them to pool their resources to survive.”
The film is to be directed by Craig Viveiros and also stars Peter Mullan and Tim Roth. Filming is said to be in the UK.

Speaking of Talulah...she's featured in a photo spread in a Vogue Italia magazine. Check out beautiful pics of Talulah in Vogue Italia (via Talulah Riley Fan)!
    
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Casting News: Jena Malone to play Carson McCullers in biopic 'Lonely Hunter'

Posted by Le on Friday, October 7, 2011

According to Collider.com, Jena Malone has just been cast in a leading role as writer Carson McCullers in the upcoming feature film, the biopic Lonely Hunter based on the author's life story. Great casting! Wow, Jena looks a lot like her especially with bangs! Sounds like an interesting project that would get the talented and versatile Miss Malone noticed for next year's award season!

Jena Malone to Play Author Carson McCullers in LONELY HUNTER
Underrated actress Jena Malone (Sucker Punch) is set to play southern author Carson McCullers in the biopic Lonely Hunter.  Written, produced, and directed by Deborah Kampmeier, the film will span 35 years of McCullers’ life and show how her writing helped her cope with crippling illness and torrid marriages.  Lonely Hunter will also “feature notable figures including her best friend Tennessee Williams, her protégé Truman Capote, her roommate Gypsy Rose Lee and collaborator Ethel Waters,” so start your fan-casting!

Malone’s other upcoming films include the love story Jack and Diane with Juno Temple, the indie drama For Ellen with Paul Dano, and The Wait with Chloe Sevigny.  Filming on Lonely Hunter is set to begin in spring 2012. 
In addition to those upcoming films, Jena Malone was recently cast in History Channel's miniseries 'Hatfields and McCoys'

Read the official press release (via Collider) below...

New York, NY – October 7, 2011 – Writer/Director/Producer Deborah Kampmeier and Producer Troy Johanson of Full Moon Films announced today that Jena Malone will portray Southern gothic writer Carson McCullers in “Lonely Hunter” the feature film based on her life story.  A wild woman who transgressed gender laws and the color bar searching to understand her own mysterious passions, McCullers is the author of the classic novels “The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter” and “The Member of the Wedding.”

Deborah Kampmeier will direct, as well as produce the film with Johanson and Blair Breard.  Abigail Disney of Fork Films will executive produce. A shoot is scheduled for Spring 2012. Additional casting is under way.

An actress and musician, Jena Malone made her film debut in “Bastard Out of Carolina.”  She garnered an Independent Spirit Award nomination for Best Debut Performance and a Screen Actors Guild Award nomination for Outstanding Performance for her performance.  Since then she has gone on to memorable roles in films including “Pride and Prejudice” and a lead in the cult favorite, “Donnie Darko.”  Upcoming projects include “Jack and Diane” with Juno Temple, “For Ellen” with Paul Dano and “The Wait” with Chloe Sevigny.
“Lonely Hunter” is the true story of novelist and playwright Carson McCullers, a woman who overcame tremendous odds to become one of the most influential writers of her time.  Plagued by crippling illness and torrid marriages, her imagination provided a sanctuary that she shared with us all. ‘Lonely Hunter’ will span 35 years in McCullers’ life and feature notable figures including her best friend Tennessee Williams, her protégé Truman Capote, her roommate Gypsy Rose Lee and collaborator Ethel Waters

Deborah Kampmeier stated, “Jena’s vulnerability, curiosity, and passion are perfect for Carson. She is extremely gifted and I’m thrilled to be working with Jena in what I’m sure will be a very creative and exciting process.”

Jena Malone is represented by The Gersh Agency and Robert Wallerstein at Hirsch Wallerstein Matlof & Fishman.

Related article: 
Jena Malone To Play Author Carson McCullers In Biopic ‘Lonely Hunter’ (via The Playlist)  

Speaking of Jena and her movies, her other film, which she co-starred with Twilight's Cam Gigandet, 5 Star Day gets American distribution from Breaking Glass Pictures (via indieWire)

Breaking Glass Pictures has acquired the American distribution rights to “5 Star Day,” from first-time director Danny Buday. In the film, Cam Gigandet (Easy A, Burlesque) plays Jake Gibson, a man bent on disproving Astrology after his horoscope proves to be horribly disproved. Among the people Gibson meets to help confirm his suspicions is a single mom played by Jena Malone (Saved!, Donnie Darko). “5 Star Day” is slated to be released in theaters on November 2nd and available through video on-demand two days later.

Jena Malone was most recently seen in the sci-fi pic, Sucker Punch, and has portrayed a slew of memorable characters in films such as Saved!, Donnie Darko, and Pride & Prejudice. Read full article here!
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P&P NewsBits: Casting Updates for 'One Shot' and 'Flight' films, Jena Malone cast in 'Hatfields and McCoys,' and more!

Posted by Le on Friday, September 23, 2011

Here's this week's quick news round up of various TV and film news (including casting calls, a film synopsis, trailers, release dates, festival news, etc.) of the following P&P actors (Rosamund Pike, Kelly Reilly, Jena Malone, Carey Mulligan and P&P 95's Colin Firth and Jennifer Ehle), all in one post!

Here are a few TV and Film casting news updates... 

As previously posted here, Rosamund Pike landed the female lead role opposite Tom Cruise in One Shot!

Kelly Reilly was in negotiations for the lead female role in Robert Zemeckis Flight opposite Denzel Washington.



First, let's get to Rosamund Pike's One Shot...

Richard Jenkins Will Take 'One Shot' With Tom Cruise
(via The Playlist)
Variety reports that Jenkins has joined the upcoming “One Shot.” Based on the best-selling book by Lee Child (one of many in the series), and set to be directed and written by Christopher McQuarrie,the story finds ex-military man and drifter Jack Reacher (Cruise) drawninto the case of a military sniper accused of five murders anddiscovers a twisty cover-up along the way. Rosamund Pike is onboard as Helen Rodin, the attorney who defends the accused man andJenkins will play her father Alex Rodin, the District Attorney in townwho is prosecuting the case. David Oyelowo rounds out the current cast, playing a homicide detective in charge of investigating the killings.UPDATE: Alexia Fast Joins Tom Cruise's 'One Shot' (Exclusive) (via Hollywood Reporter)

  
Don Cheadle and Bruce Greenwood Join Robert Zemeckis’ FLIGHT; Kelly Reilly Confirmed as Female Lead
(via Collider)
Director Robert Zemeckis is filling out the cast for his return to live-action. Denzel Washington is set as the lead in Flight,where he will play an a pilot who is heralded as a hero after safelylanding a damaged plane. His newfound hero status comes under scrutinyas an investigation is launched to determine whether or not he wasdrunk while flying. Now Movieholereports that Don Cheadle and Bruce Greenwood have joined the cast. Noword on what their roles entail. The report also confirms that KellyReilly (Sherlock Holmes), who was in negotiations to take on the female lead, is officially onboard as a drug addict who befriends Washington’s character. Filming on the project is set to get underway next month in Atlanta. 

Jena Malone latest to join 'Hatfields and McCoys' (via CN's The Marquee Blog)
The History Channel’s upcoming project “TheHatfields and McCoys” is sounding better all the time. Jena Malone hassigned on to the star-studded miniseries about America’s biggest familyfeud, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Malone (“Bastard Out of Carolina,” “Stepmom,” “Into the Wild”) willplay Nancy McCoy, a conniving cousin who exacts revenge on theHatfields for murdering her father.

Kevin Costner (Anse Hatfield) and Bill Paxton (Randall McCoy) lead the cast as the heads of the clashing clans. Tom Berenger, Powers Boothe and Lindsay Pulsipher have also joined the cast.

Kevin Reynolds (“Red Dawn,” “The Count of Monte Cristo,” “RobinHood: Prince of Thieves”) is on board to direct the dramaticminiseries, which will shoot in Romania.

The project will air next year to coincide with the 150thanniversary of the bloody Hatfield and McCoy battle, which attractedinternational headlines.

Carey Mulligan changes gear in Drive (via BBC)
Nicolas Winding Refn'snew film Drive has brutal killings, nerve-jangling car chases andbone-breaking violence. So why did fresh-faced Carey Mulligan beg forpart in it?
"I'm in a film with guns - which is rare!" says Carey Mulligan of her role in the Danish director's crime thriller.
"Iwanted to do something that would be a bit of a stretch," adds the starof An Education and Never Let Me Go, "like playing a mother, andexploring a different genre."

Drive is now showing in theaters near you and at #3 (with $11M+) in its first weekend of release. 

In other P&P/Austen Actors' related news...

Blake Lively Offered Lead Role in PRIDE AND PREJUDICE AND ZOMBIES?


Out of the 12 shorts shown, Steve with Colin Firth (The King’s Speech) and Keira Knightly (Pride and Prejudice)was one of the highlights. The story follows a middle-age man, whoregularly visits his neighbors for very odd reasons with surprisingtwists. This event was held as part of the Oscar qualifying process,which requires three consecutive days (Tuesday-Thursday) of paidscreenings at least twice a day in a Los Angeles County theater.

Jennifer Ehle: A Gifted Man's Leading Lady (via The Daily Beast)

Many viewers will forever associate Jennifer Ehle with her career-making role as Elizabeth Bennet in the BBC’s Pride & Prejudice, the sumptuous adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic novel. But the 41-year old actress, the daughter of the actress Rosemary Harris and the writer John Ehleand now a mother of two, has been producing a steady body of work forboth the stage and film, since she first donned a curly black wig toplay Austen’s outspoken romantic heroine back in 1995. On Broadway, shewon a Tony award in 2000 for The Real Thing and another in 2007 for The Coast of Utopia.

The Daily Beast sat down with Ehle, and in these excerpts we discussed A Gifted Man, why she left Game of Thrones, attachment parenting, why she’s never recognized on the street, and ghost sex. Read her full interview here!

Speaking of JE, Tonight (and every Friday nights at 8/7C) watch Jennifer Ehle (Pride and Prejudice 1995's Elizabeth Bennet) on the series premiere of A Gifted Man on CBS!

Colin Firth claims to have 'no memory' of winning best actor Oscar
(via Metro)

Firth said it was 'completely extraordinary' that he could notremember receiving the statuette, but added: 'I think when major thingshappen to us, whether good or bad, there's a slight shock.
'It has a slightly numbing effect.'
 Colin Firth, Helen Fielding Confirm Bridget Jones 3 (via Lez Get Real)
Can lightning strike a third time? Colin Firth has let it slip thatthere will be a Bridget Jones 3. So far, there has been no confirmationas to whether or not Hugh Grant, who was in the first and secondmovies, will be back for the third, but Firth has had something of aninsider’s knowledge about the direction of the script.

Talking to Marie Claire, the Oscar winner did indicate that theentire cast will be returning saying that “It does become a bit of afamily at the time, it’ll be like one of those rather fraught familyreunions at Christmas.”
More aboutP&P NewsBits: Casting Updates for 'One Shot' and 'Flight' films, Jena Malone cast in 'Hatfields and McCoys,' and more!

Casting News: Kelly Reilly lands a female lead role in 'Flight' opposite Denzel Washington

Posted by Le on Monday, September 12, 2011

Deadline reports that Kelly Reilly is in negotiations for the lead female role in Robert Zemeckis Flight opposite Denzel Washington. Apparently, Ms. Reilly was in a shortlist of actresses in consideration for the role along with Olivia Wilde and Dominique McElligott for the female lead role Nicole Devlin this past weekend and Kelly got the part! Yay for Kelly! Interesting she's another P&P actress cast in another Paramount Pictures film as just recently Rosamund Pike got cast in a female lead in One Shot film (opposite Tom Cruise), which starts filming later this month.

Flight starts shooting in Atlanta (GA) this October for a possible 2012 release.

Here's an article via Deadline...

EXCLUSIVE: Paramount is negotiating with Kelly Reilly to play the female lead opposite Denzel Washington in Flight, the Robert Zemeckis-directed thriller. This is a real opportunity for the British actress, who scores a role that a lot of actresses wanted. The short list going into the weekend was Reilly, Olivia Wilde and Dominique McElligott. In the John Gatins-scripted drama, Reilly is negotiating to play Nicole Devlin, a drug addict who is at rock bottom when she meets Whip (Washington), a commercial airline pilot who heroically flies a damaged plane to safety, saving saving 98 lives on a flight carrying 106 people. That achievement comes under a cloud when an investigation ensues over whether or not he had been drinking. The pilot and the girl become friends as each tries to get their demons under control. Reilly, whose credits include Sherlock Holmes, its upcoming sequel and Pride & Prejudice, is repped by ICM and Troika in the UK.
Speaking of Kelly Reilly, she will be seen next in the sequel of Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows reprising her Mary Morstan role opposite Jude Law and Robert Downey Jr., which will be in theaters December 16th! Her upcoming TV and film projects include Edwin Boyd co-starring with Scott Speedman, 1320, and a 4th season of Above Suspicion: Silent Scream (with co-star Cirian Hinds) following it's continued success on UK's ITV1.         
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New 'Shame' stills featuring Carey Mulligan

Posted by Le on Monday, September 5, 2011

 

Some new production stills for Shame starring Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan has just been released. The film has been getting some positive rave reviews (The Guardian.co.uk and Timeout.com both gave the this film 4/5 stars! The Playlist gave it an A- rating as well) of its Venice and Telluride Film Festival screenings. According to Shadow and Act, There’s already some Oscar buzz surrounding the performances of Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan. Carey's role and character in the film is Sissy, Brandon (Michael Fassbender)’s mentally unstable sister that pays him a visit, further driving Brandon into his unhealthy sexual compulsions. No trailer yet, but you can watch the first Shame clip of Michael Fassbender here (though Carey's not on it).   

Check out some new Shame stills of Carey Mulligan below as well as another movie that Carey will be starring and reuniting her with her Drive director Nicolas Winding Refn...



Check out the following Shame related articles...

Also, in other Carey Mulligan movie casting news...
Carey Mulligan to Star in Nicolas Winding Refn’s Sex Film I WALK WITH THE DEAD (via Collider)
Nicolas Winding Refn’s Drive is currently garnering raves left and right, and he’s already got a stacked schedule of films lined up for the future. Refn’s set to start filming Only God Forgives with Drive star Ryan Gosling, Kristin Scott Thomas and Luke Evans soon, he’s got a remake of Logan’s Run (also with Gosling) in the works, and now he’s found his lead for the sex thriller I Walk With the Dead. The director announced at the Deauvill Film Festival (via THR) that another Drive cohort, Carey Mulligan, will star in the already financed film.
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Casting News Update: Rosamund Pike gets her 'One Shot' lead role opposite Tom Cruise!

Posted by Le on Wednesday, August 17, 2011

UPDATE #2  8/29/11 Script Details for Tom Cruise Movie 'One Shot'

UPDATE 8/18/11: Pike a "Great Piece of Casting" for "One Shot" With Cruise, Says Author Lee Child
“I think that's a great piece of casting, but then, I wouldn't expectanything less from (writer-director Chris) McQuarrie," Child toldPopcornBiz via email. 
Great news! Rosamund Pike landed the female lead role opposite Tom Cruise in One Shot!  

As I previously posted here, Rosamund Pike was reportedly testing/reading to get the female lead role along with Hayley Atwell (Captain America) and Alexa Davalos (Clash of the Titans) for Tom Cruise's One Shot this past weekend. And looks like Miss Pike won the part! (The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed!) According to Deadline, Rosamund is now in negotiations to play the lead role. Congrats to RP!!!

Here's the Deadline article:
EXCLUSIVE: Rosamund Pike is negotiating for the female lead opposite Tom Cruise in One Shot, the Christopher McQuarrie-directed adaptation of the bestselling Lee Child novel series for Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions. Pike was among a small group of actresses vying for the role. The British actress played Andromeda in Clash of the Titans 2, and she recently wrapped the David Frankel-directed The Big Year opposite Owen Wilson, Jack Black and Steve Martin, and the Rowan Atkinson comedy Johnny English Reborn.

Cruise is playing Jack Reacher, the retired military policeman who wanders the country with only his passport, bankbook, toothbrush and the clothes on his back. He finds his way into scrapes, taking the side of the underdog. In One Shot, Reacher investigates a case in which a lone sniper murders five victims before being captured. Reacher discovers it's more than a simple open-and-shut case.

Pike will play Helen Rodin, a local defense attorney defending the man arrested for the shootings. She works with Reacher to bring the true culprits to justice. Don Granger and Cruise will produce through Mutual Film Company and C/W Productions. Skydance's David Ellison and Dana Goldberg are producing as is Gary Levinsohn and Paula Wagner, and Ken Kamins is exec producer. UTA reps Pike with Shelly Browning and UK-based Dallas Smith.
More about One Shot (via Collider)...

Christopher McQuarrie (Way of the Gun) wrote the script and will direct the adaptation of Lee Child’s novel. Paramount plans to begin shooting this fall and release One Shot on February 8, 2013.

Here’s the synopsis for Lee Child’s One Shot:
Six shots. Five dead. One heartland city thrown into a state of terror. But within hours the cops have it solved: a slam-dunk case. Except for one thing. The accused man says: You got the wrong guy. Then he says: Get Reacher for me.

And sure enough, ex—military investigator Jack Reacher is coming. He knows this shooter–a trained military sniper who never should have missed a shot. Reacher is certain something is not right–and soon the slam-dunk case explodes.

Now Reacher is teamed with a beautiful young defense lawyer, moving closer to the unseen enemy who is pulling the strings. Reacher knows that no two opponents are created equal. This one has come to the heartland from his own kind of hell. And Reacher knows that the only way to take him down is to match his ruthlessness and cunning–and then beat him shot for shot. [Amazon]
Related Articles 
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Casting News: Rupert Friend gets into 'The Haunted' while Rosamund Pike is testing to get cast in 'One Shot' with Tom Cruise

Posted by Le on Sunday, August 14, 2011


In two interesting casting news this weekend, Rupert Friend in The Haunted and Rosamund Pike in One Shot...

First, we have Rupert Friend, who is set to star in Intandem Films' The Haunted, a blend of psychological thriller with supernatural. Rupert will co-star with Olga Kurylenko (Quantum of Solace) in the lead. No info yet of what role Rupert will play. Based on the synopsis, I'm guessing he could be playing the ghost tormenting Kurylenko's character or another character. Hmm, It would be interesting to see if he was the former, lol. The Haunted is currently in pre-production with 2012 the likely completion date. 

Here's a lil' more info about the film including synopsis (via The Film Catalogue)




Synopsis
Recently widowed Audrey moves to a small village in the English countryside. She soon discovers the old house she is renting is not as empty as she thought... Her presence has awakened a spirit. Yet she decides to stay, and through the unusual friendship she strikes with the apparition, she begins getting over her grief. But is the ghost benign or malevolent? And is he real, or the product of her fractured mind?

Completion Year: 2012.
Director: Axelle Carolyn.
Cast: Olga Kurylenko, and Rupert Friend.

Source:
  The Film Catalogue 

In other film casting news...


According to Hollywood Reporter, Rosamund Pike (along with The Pillars of the Earth, Any Human Heart, and Captain America's Hayley Atwell and Clash of the Titans' Alexa Davalos, whose Princess Andromeda has been replaced by Rosamund in the sequel of Clash of the Titans 2, now titled: Wrath of the Titans, which will be released March 30th, 2012) is reportedly screen testing and vying for a female lead role opposite Tom Cruise in one of his upcoming films, One Shot. Will Rosamund get the One Shot part? Best of luck to her! We'll find out soon, if she gets the part or not...

For now, read the THR article for more info...
Tom Cruise's 'One Shot': Three Actresses Testing to Play His Leading Lady (Exclusive)

Tom Cruise may find his latest leading lady this weekend. 

Cruise is gearing up to make One Shot, a Paramount-Skydance adaptation of a 2005 Lee Child crime thriller. Christopher McQuarrie, who wrote Cruise's Valkyrie movie, penned the script and is directing

On Saturday, McQuarrie and the studio were reading at least three actresses for the female lead: Hayley Atwell, Alexa Davalos and Rosamund Pike.

Atwell is best known to US audiences as the female lead opposite Chris Evans in Captain America.
Davalos last appeared in Clash of the Titans as Andromeda and counts Defiance, The Mist and The Chronicles of Riddick amongst her credits.
 
Pike drew acclaim for her work in the British movie Made in Dagenham and Barney’s Version. She also appeared with Carey Mulligan in An Education 

One Shot
centers on a Jack Reacher, an ex-Army cop who gets sucked into the mystery surrounding the arrest of a sniperaccused of killing five random people in a shooting. The female role is that of tough lawyer and daughter of the discrict attorney.
 

 The studio is eyeing a fall shoot in Pittsburgh. Paramount had no comment.
Speaking of Rosamund Pike, there's another film that isn't listed on her IMDB profile, which this article has mentioned her to co-star with Samuel L. Jackson and Kristin Scott Thomas in "Running Wild."

Here's part of the RP mention:

He (Director Kevin Kerslake) is currently attached to direct J.G. Ballard's "Running Wild," starring Samuel L. Jackson, Kristin Scott Thomas and Rosamund Pike.      
More aboutCasting News: Rupert Friend gets into 'The Haunted' while Rosamund Pike is testing to get cast in 'One Shot' with Tom Cruise

Casting Update: Joe Wright's ‘Anna Karenina’ Cast is now Confirmed!

Posted by Le on Thursday, August 4, 2011


Working Title Films (Pride & Prejudice, Atonement) has recently posted in their website confirming the principal cast for director Joe Wright's upcoming film (currently in pre-production), Anna Karenina starring Keira Knightley, who is reuniting with her former P&P co-star Matthew Macfadyen, which interestingly, they will be playing brother and sister in this film adaptation. Knightley and Macfadyen previously worked together (as Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy) with Wright, who directed them in his very first feature film, Pride & Prejudice, which was released back in 2005 to critical acclaimed (and a worldwide Box office gross of $121+ million) earning Knightley and the P&P film 4 Oscar Nominations (including Best Actress for Miss Knightley), 2 Golden Globe (including Best Actress for KK as well), and 6 BAFTA nominations (including a Carl Foreman Award for the Most Promising Newcomer award for JW).

The now confirmed Anna Karenina cast include Keira and Matthew, of course, along with the rest of previously reported cast such as Jude Law, Aaron Johnson, and Kelly Macdonald to name a few, except for , who was previously rumored (and listed on IMDB too) to be playing Kitty, is excluded in the confirmed cast. Another actress, Alicia Vikander (‘The Seventh Son’), a newcomer is the one confirmed to be playing Kitty instead.

Check out the confirmed cast (with pictures and their characters) of Anna Karenina below...


Keira Knightley is confirmed to play the title role, her third collaboration with Joe Wright having starred in ‘Pride & Prejudice’ and ‘Atonement’. She is joined by Jude Law (‘Sherlock Holmes’, ‘Hugo Cabret’) playing her husband Aleksei Karenin and Aaron Johnson (‘Kick Ass’, ‘Nowhere Boy’) as Count Vronsky. They are supported by Alicia Vikander playing KittyKelly Macdonald (‘No Country For Old Men’, ‘Boardwalk Empire’) playing Dolly, Domhnall Gleeson (Bill Weasley in ‘Harry Potter’) playing Levin, Andrea Riseborough (‘Made In Dagenham’) playing Princess Betsy, Matthew MacFadyen (‘Pride & Prejudice’) playing Oblonsky and Olivia Williams (‘Hanna’) playing his mother Countess Vronsky.
Anna Karenina (2012) Cast

~*~ Confirmed Cast
~*~
Keira Knightley ~ Anna Karenina
Jude Law ~ Aleksei Karenin (Anna's husband)
Aaron Johnson ~ Count Vronsky (Anna's lover)
Matthew Macfadyen ~ Oblonsky (Anna's brother)
Kelly Macdonald ~ Dolly
(Oblonky's wife)
Alicia Vikander ~ Kitty (Dolly's younger sister)
Domhnall Gleeson ~ Levin
 Andrea Riseborough ~ Princess Betsey
Olivia Williams ~ Countess Vronskaya (Vronsky's mother)

Speaking of AK, someone tweeted this Anna Karenina Script cover page! Also, Keira was asked about her upcoming Anna movie and role in her new Marie Claire Interview (via Sweet-Keira). Here's the AK mention part...
You’re doing another period movie, Anna Karenina, with director Joe Wright. What attracts you to period characters?
It’s not the fact that they are period; it’s the great stories. And Tolstoy – you can’t say no to that if someone offers it to you.     
Anna Karenina will start filming next month (possibly early to mid September) and is slated for a 2012 release.
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Casting News: Talulah Riley cast in 'White Frog' film

Posted by Le on Tuesday, August 2, 2011

photo: kevork djansezian/
getty images/north america
Talulah Riley has join the cast of White Frog, a new indie film, according to its official website. No info. yet on what her character/role will be in the film, but filming has already started.

Updated 8/7/11: I asked the lovely Talulah on her twitter page what her character was in this film and here was her reply...

Here's an announcement of Talulah joining the film (via official website)...

CAST REVEALED | Talulah Riley Cast In White Frog
British actress and model, Talulah Riley, has officially been cast in White Frog.


Talulah’s past works include Pride and Prejudice, St Trinian’s, The Boat That Rocked (Pirate Radio in the USA) and St. Trinian’s 2: The Legend of Fritton’s Gold. Riley appeared as the blonde at the bar in Inception, with Leonardo DiCaprio and starred in The Summer House opposite Robert Pattinson. In 2010 she was featured on the March cover of Esquire

Welcome to the White Frog family, Talulah!
The official synopsis for the film (via its official website)...
WHITE FROG is an original young adult drama with comedy and heart about 15-year old Nick (The Twilight Saga's Booboo Stewart), a neglected teen with mild Asperger’s syndrome whose life is challenged and ultimately changed forever when tragedy hits his family. WHITE FROG is a universal story of the power of family, friendship, and love positioned to appeal to a broad audience in the same way as ORDINARY PEOPLE, JOY LUCK CLUB, and THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT.
White Frog cast: BooBoo Stewart (Seth Clearwater of The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Parts 1 and 2), Joan Chen (The Last Emperor), BD Wong (Law & Order: SVU), Harry Shum Jr. (Fox's Glee TV series), Kelly Hu (X-Men 2, The Scorpion King), Gregg Sulkin (Disney's Wizards of Waverly Place), and Talulah Riley (Pride & Prejudice, Inception, St. Trinian's 1&2).

Also, looks like Talulah has just joined Twitter (via official website for White Frog)...
Talulah Riley Joins Twitter!


While filming on the set of White Frog, the entire Twitter-savvy cast finally convinced fellow cast member, Talulah Riley, to join the micro-blogging site, Twitter. She never had one before, so we’re happy to say that she signed up while on the set of White Frog! Welcome to Twitter, Talulah!

Follow Talulah’s official Twitter here
I tweeted and welcome Talulah on her official Twitter account and she seemed really nice and very friendly. She even replied on my tweets more than a few times and answered my question about her character for this film (scroll back uP for the update on top of this post!) as well as when I asked her if she still keeps in touch with her P&P co-stars...she replied:
In addition, there's a new pic of Talulah Riley from the set of White Frog (via its official facebook page), which you can see below:

And another new one with Talulah and her White Frog co-stars (as tweeted by Talulah herself via her twitter page)...

One more on set pic with Talulah and co-stars BD Wong, and Kelly Hu (as tweeted by Talulah's White Frog co-star BD Wong)...

For more info on White Frog check out the following...

Links of interest
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Keri Russell to star in 'Austenland' film adaptation

Posted by Le on Wednesday, July 6, 2011


According to Hollywood Reporter, there's a new Jane Austen related independent rom-com film titled Austenland (based on the novel of the same name by Shannon Hale) starring Keri Russell (Felicity, The Magic of Ordinary Days, August Rush) currently in production and about to start filming this week in the UK. It will be financed and produced by Stephenie Meyer, the best-selling author of the Twilight series.

Here's a breakdown of the Austenland cast who are playing the following characters (via Shannon Hale's website):

Jane - Keri Russell
Nobley - JJ Feild
Martin - Bret Mckenzie
Miss Charming - Jennifer Coolidge
Colonel Andrews - James Callis
Mrs. Wattlesbrook - Jane Seymour
Mr. Wattlesbrook - Rupert Vansittart 


Updated 7/11/11

Lady Heartwright - Georgia King 
Molly (Jane's best friend) - Ayda Field
George East - Ricky Whittle

Updated 7/6/11: Georgia King (via her official Twitter) said that she's in the Austenland movie too!

Interesting, I have previously mentioned her and her character Harriet in one of my old posts here about her movieWild Child (with Emma Roberts) and it's P&P references (read it, it's hilarious!) here: Pride & Prejudice References in Pop Culture (Part 3) The actress herself has P&P connections! She appeared in a small role with P&P '05's Keira Knightley inThe Duchessco-starred with Matthew Macfadyen in Little Dorrit and Talulah Riley in the film St Trinian's 2: The Legend of Fritton's Gold.

And here's the Austenland article (via Hollywood Reporter):


Keri Russell, JJ Feild and Bret McKenzie will star in Austenland, an indie romantic comedy that is serving as the directorial debut of Jerusha Hess, who co-wrote Napoleon Dynamite and Nacho Libre with her husband, helmer Jared Hess.
In a twist, the movie is also serving as the producing debut of Stephenie Meyer, author of the best-selling vampire books The Twilight Saga. Meyer has acted as a producer on the Twilight adaptations but this will be her first time working on non-authored fare.


Meyer is producing and financing the pic though her Fickle Fish Films banner, which she runs with Meghan Hibbett. Moxie Pictures’ Gina Mingacci is also producing.

Jennifer Coolidge, Jane Seymour, Rupert Vansittart and James Callis make up the supporting cast of the rom-com, which centers on a single, thirtysomething woman with a secret obsession with Mr. Darcy -- as played by Colin Firth in the BBC adaptation of Pride and Prejudice. The obsession is ruining her love life because no real man can compare.

When she decides to spend her life savings on a trip to an English resort catering to Jane Austen-crazed women, the woman's fantasy of meeting the perfect Regency-era gentleman becomes more real than she could have imagined.


Feild is playing a Mr. Darcy actor at Austenland who develops true feelings for the American woman. Coolidge is playing a vain and crude vacationer.
Shannon Hale wrote the book on which the movie is based and co-wrote the script with Hess.
The movie begins shooting this week in the U.K. UTA is handling worldwide sales.
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Casting News: Emma Stone offered lead role for 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies' film

Posted by Le on Wednesday, June 22, 2011

Update 6/24/11: According to Deadline: Emma Stone Not Doing 'Pride And Prejudice And Zombies'
 
Variety reports that Emma Stone (Easy A, Zombieland, The House Bunny) has been offered the lead role: Elizabeth Bennet in the new film adaptation of Pride and Prejudice and Zombies to be directed by Craig Gillespie (Fright Night, Lars and the Real Girl), which Lionsgate is releasing. The film is based on the tongue-in-cheek mash-up book by Seth Grahame-Smith, which is a re-telling of Jane Austen‘s “Pride and Prejudice” with a twist of Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy fighting against zombies. So far, Stone's only been offered the part and is not confirmed to star in this film yet. We'll find out soon enough, if she is or not.



For now, here's the article from Variety: Emma Stone offered lead in 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies'

Recent Academy Award winner Natalie Portman (Black Swan), who was previously cast for the lead role of Elizabeth Bennet is still on board to produce this film through her production company, Handsomecharlie Films.
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Movie News: Is Matthew Macfadyen joining Keira Knightley on Joe Wright's 'Anna Karenina' film?

Posted by Le on Thursday, June 2, 2011


UPDATE 6/3/11: It's official Matthew Macfadyen confirmed for Anna Karenina!!! According to Matthew Macfadyen News (over at Topix. Thanks ladies!!!) Matthew's agency Hamilton Hodell has just confirmed Matthew will indeed be playing Oblonsky in Anna Karenina.

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Is our favorite Mr. Darcy, Matthew Macfadyen reuniting and re-teaming with his Pride & Prejudice co-star Keira Knightley and director Joe Wright in their upcoming film, Anna Karenina? If so, I think this will be the BEST casting news EVERRRRR!!! (well, at least here on this blog, lol)...Thanks to my friend and fellow P&P/MM fan, Sylvie Valente for the heads up on this wonderful casting news. Hopefully, this is true. It's not officially confirmed yet, but will find out soon enough.

For now, this will do as UK's Daily Mail reports in their newest article has more Anna Karenina casting info and said that Matthew is part of the cast and is playing the character: Oblonsky and get this he and Keira will be playing not lovers, but siblings! Wowza, this will be interesting to see and I don't know if I'll get used to seeing them play as siblings after playing our favorite P&P couple: Elizabeth & Darcy. I will always picture them as Lizzie & Darcy, lol...


Here's the article from the Daily Mail:

Oh boy! Jude and Keira are looking for an (on-screen) son

Keira Knightley and Jude Law are seeking a son, while Matthew Macfadyen and Kelly Macdonald would like an instant brood of five.

These are the screen relationships that will make up one big happy (or rather not-so happy) family in the film version of Anna Karenina that will shoot in Britain and Russia from September.


I told you back in November that Keira would play Tolstoy’s great literary heroine in a new movie version written by Tom Stoppard. The film reunites Keira with Joe Wright, who directed her in Atonement and Pride & Prejudice. That’s where Matthew comes in.

He and Keira played the will-they-won’t-they lovers Elizabeth Bennet and Mr Darcy in the Jane Austen classic. However, in Anna Karenina, Keira and Matthew play siblings.

Matthew has the part of Oblonsky, while Kelly — star of HBO’s compelling Boardwalk Empire — plays his wife Dolly.

The film’s casting executives are looking for brothers and sisters (cousins could be in the mix, too) to play the Oblonskys’ five children, who range in age from two to eight. The groupings must include a girl of around eight to play Tanya, the Oblonskys’ eldest daughter.

‘We want to capture that messy charm that comes with big families,’ Dixie Chassay, one of the executives, explained.

‘Dolly’s always pregnant. It’s always about family, and we want to capture that with brothers and sisters and cousins who play and are noisy and who laugh together.

‘Then there’s the son Keira has with Jude,’ Dixie continued, meaning their fictional child Seryozha.

The boy should be aged between seven and ten. ‘We are in the world of Tolstoy, so we need someone poetic,’ Dixie noted.

Ideally, for all of the kids’ roles, the casting people want to meet European (particularly French and Russian) siblings or cousins, although all must be able to speak English. They’d also look at children from large English families (the traditional kind you might see in the Bystander section of Tatler).
Aaron Johnson will play Anna’s lover Vronsky.

Jude joked to me recently that once upon a time he would have played such a part, but is ‘too old’ to be the dashing lothario. ‘I’m the cuckolded husband now,’ he told me.

Olivia Williams, who was so good in Wright’s thriller Hanna, will play Countess Vronskaya, Vronsky’s mother. Saoirse Ronan, who appeared with Keira in Atonement and had the lead in Hanna, will play Kitty, Dolly’s sister.

The fast-rising Andrea Riseborough has been cast as Princess Betsy, who always knew how to have too good a time. Andrea has two upcoming movies: Resistance and W.E.

Domhnall Gleeson — Bill Weasley in the Harry Potter movies — has been cast as Levin.

Tim Bevan of Working Title, who is producing the film with Eric Fellner and Paul Webster, believes the story — about a woman who has an affair with a younger man but remains trapped in her stale marriage to a dull husband — has ‘incredible relevance today’.

He added: ‘That’s why it has remained a classic through all this time — because people relate to it.
Read full article here!

Here's the Anna Karenina cast list thus far (*confirmed) with new additions...
*Keira Knightley - Anna Karenina
*Aaron Johnson - Count Vronsky
(Anna's lover)
*Judd Law - Karenin
(Anna's husband)

*Matthew Macfadyen - Prince Stepan "Stiva" Oblonsky (Anna's brother)

*Kelly Macdonald - Princess Darya "Dolly" Oblonskaya (Stepan's wife) 
Olivia Williams - Countess Vyronskaya (Vyronsky's mother)
Saoirse Ronan - Kitty (Dolly's younger sister)

Domhnall Gleeson - Contantine Dmitrich Levin
Andrea Riseborough - Princess Betsy

Note:  Benedict Cumberbatch, who was previously mentioned in the AK cast is now out due to scheduling conflicts. So, looks like Matthew stepped in, in his place!
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Movie News: Donald Sutherland joins 'The Hunger Games' film

Posted by Le on Tuesday, May 31, 2011

Deadline reports that Donald Sutherland joined the big cast of big screen adaptation of The Hunger Games based on Suzanne Collins novels.

Read more below (via Deadline):
Donald Sutherland Joins 'The Hunger Games'

Lionsgate has set Donald Sutherland to play the role of President Snow in The Hunger Games, the trilogy that will be directed by Gary Ross based on the Suzanne Collins novels. Snow is the autocratic ruler of Panem who uses the violent Hunger Games as a way to maintain control. Jennifer Lawrence plays heroine Katniss Everdeen. Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, Toby Jones, Lenny Kravitz, Woody Harrelson, Stanley Tucci, Wes Bentley and Elizabeth Banks are also in the cast.
Lionsgate will release “The Hunger Games” on March 23, 2012.
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Movie News: Jena Malone is set to star in indie dramedy 'Family Tree'

Posted by Le on Friday, May 27, 2011

Variety reports that Jena Malone, Gabrielle Union, Zach Gilford, and John Slattery are set to star in the indie dramedy "Family Tree."

Read the article below via Variety...
Exclusive: Gabrielle Union, Jena Malone, Zach Gilford and "Mad Men" thesp John Slattery are set to star in the indie dramedy "Family Tree."
Brian Savelson is directing from his own screenplay. Anish Savjani ("Meek's Cutoff") is producing with Vincent Savino.

Slattery and Gilford star as an estranged father and son who accidentally wind up in the same vacation home with their two girlfriends. Union will play Slattery's love interest who's practically the same age as his son, which makes for some awkward encounters. Malone will play Gilford's girlfriend.

Production is scheduled to start this June in upstate NY.


Malone recently starred in Zack Snyder's "Sucker Punch" and wrapped a trio of films -- the lesbian teen romance "Jack and Diane," M. Blash's drama "The Wait" and the Paul Dano-Jon Heder pic "For Ellen." Read full article.
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Casting Update on Joe Wright's 'Anna Karenina' starring Keira Knightley

Posted by Le on Thursday, April 7, 2011


The Playlist reports more casting news for Joe Wright's upcoming period film, Anna Karenina, which will begin filming later in the fall of this year.

Here are the *confirmed ones and new additions to the Anna Karenina cast list so far...

*Keira Knightley as Anna Karenina
*Jude Law as Karenin
*Aaron Johnson as Vyronski
Kelly Macdonald (unknown role)
Benedict Cumberbatch (unknown role)

It looks like both Atonement stars and James McAvoy are still not confirmed as JW's still waiting to hear back from them...
Keira’s confirmed, Jude Law’s confirmed, Aaron Johnson’s confirmed, Kelly Macdonald‘s confirmed, Benedict Cumberbatch is confirmed. I’m still waiting on Saorise and James,” Wright said to us though he noted, “I’m not sure about James, he recently just had a baby so [he’s busy].” (via The Playlist)
Speaking of Joe Wright and Keira Knightley...IndieWire interviewed JW while promoting his new film, Hanna...he was about Anna Karenina and mentioned why he wanted to do it and work with KK again...
So why the return to period romance for your next film, “Anna Karenina”?
One doesn’t really think of genre, period or non-period; one really responds to stories and characters. That was what first drew me to “Hanna.” With “Anna Karenina,” the idea of a challenge to take on such an extraordinary work of fiction is really exciting. Tolstoy’s analysis of motivation and character is so extraordinary, it’s so kind of acute.

I also said I’d do it if Tom Stoppard wrote the script and he said yes. For me, every film is an education. To sit at the feet of the master and learn from him is an amazing opportunity for me. I also wanted to really work with Keira [Knightley] again—and in fact, a whole company of British actors. I was really enjoying the idea of doing a film that’s more about the actors than “Hanna” was about the action. Read full interview here.
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