Natalie Portman Ditches 'Wuthering Heights'
Filed under: Classics, Independent, Romance, Casting, RumorMonger, Fandom, Newsstand
Before we Bronte devotees could really whine and cry about the casting (there's still Ellen Page in Jane Eyre for that), it ceases to be. According to Variety, Natalie Portman has dropped out of the upcoming Wuthering Heights, leaving the film rather lost without a Cathy Earnshaw. According to Portman's publicist, the actress had a scheduling conflict with another project, which has not yet been announced. So now, Ecross executives and director John Maybury are on the hunt for a new Cathy. As of yet, there are no contenders to the role, so now is our chance! Speak up, Cinematical readers, and let us flood the Internet with suggestions. Personally, I want to go back in time and import teenage Kate Winslet, Helena Bonham Carter, Kate Beckinsale or Lena Headey. As I cannot, I'm at a bit of a loss. Keira Knightley merits exclusion because of having played Elizabeth Bennett, and I think there's a rule that you can only play one standard of English Literature. I'm being rather stuffy in looking only to the UK, but nothing could ruin this movie faster than a wonky accent.
Interestingly, we finally have a name for Heathcliff. According to the Variety article, Michael Fassbender is in advanced talks to play the famous heinous, yet oh-so-sexy hero. I have only seen him as Stelios in 300, but he's getting good buzz for Hunger. Count me in the "intrigued, and not opposed" category, I guess, until further notice. His casting will mean my sister will be first in line for a ticket, that's for sure.
We can still whine and cry about the casting, though. It is our right as Internet film geeks, and ones with Gothic tastes. Oh heck, let's just gush about the book! We'll have our own Bronte Day here.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
5-12-2008 @ 1:35PM
Jennifer said...
Anne Hathaway. She was very good in Becoming Jane as well as all her other acting gigs.
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5-12-2008 @ 1:50PM
Gina said...
You can only play one standard of English literature? There's a whole slew of Brits who wouldn't have careers if that were the case. :-) Bring on Keira, I say. I think she'd be a very good Catherine.
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5-12-2008 @ 2:36PM
Carmelita said...
Thank GOD!
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5-12-2008 @ 3:18PM
fuz said...
Let the daggers fly, but there was a time when Mischa Barton could have played this part. Check out her first film "Lawn Dogs" with Sam Rockwell, and you will be amazed. But then she went all Hollywood-berzerk as she grew up.
I'm surprised that Scarlet Johansson hasn't been mentioned. I would like to suggest Christina Ricci. I'm sure I'll taken a beating over this, but she has a nice balance of innocence and spitefulness. And she still plays "young". I guess the real question would be, are they going to do the entire novel? Most films past have done only half. Will they concentrate mostly on Heathcliff and Cathy's tumultuous relationship? Or concentrate on the latter half and how Heathcliff torments the younger Catherine and his obsession for the dead Cathy?
I agree that the film world has been robbed by not letting Kate Winslet have a crack at this. Oh who are we kidding. It's just a matter of time before some production head gets Miley Cyrus.
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5-12-2008 @ 3:50PM
MIKE said...
What about Emma Watson? of Harry Potter fame? She is British, so there is a real accent, and as I believe in my own personal opinion, she has proved that she is an excellent actress. She has grown as an actress as 'Hermione Granger' has grown.
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6-03-2008 @ 7:12AM
Jody said...
I think Portman would've made an excellent Cathy. I recently saw her in My Blueberry Nights and she was great.
Keira Knightley has one performance to her name that I like: Lizzie Bennet. Not because I think she was Lizzie come to life, I just think that the performance itself was good. I don't see her as Cathy, personally, and I'm tired or movies where men agonize over Keira's beauty. I think it would be a tedious choice.
I'd suggest Emily Blunt, but she just doesn't seem like Cathy material. Jacinda Barrett isn't a strong enough actress. Sienna Miller would ruin the role, I feel certain. Tallulah Riley lacks oomph. Rosamund Pike is all manner of wrong for the role, ditto Romola Garai. Not Carey Mulligan. Sophia Myles can't really carry a lead role, in my opinion.
Kelly Reilly, perhaps? Imogen Poots? See, for all the It Must Be A British Actress Because They Are the Only Good Actors is that many of the British actresses I can name only play about one or two types of roles. And if you demand that the accent be "right", first and foremost, then you risk the performance.
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5-13-2008 @ 6:08PM
kayla said...
Emma Watson! She is an amazing actress and has a real accent!
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5-14-2008 @ 5:33AM
La Sonnambula said...
Jonathan Rhys Meyers would be heaven as Heathcliff. In fact, Meyers was in talks to play Branwell Bronte in "Bronte". Rebecca Hall, who plays Emily, would make a great Catherine.
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6-09-2008 @ 11:19PM
hallie said...
convenient considering the character of Heathcliff is based of off emily's brother Branwell
6-20-2008 @ 11:53PM
Vanessa said...
Kelly Reilly I agree would be an excellent Cathy, as would Emily Blunt in my opinion. I strongly believe that Emily Blunt is an actress not to be underestimated. Juliette Binoche played Cathy in an early 90's version of Wuthering Heights alongside Ralph Fiennes and I think they were both perfect in their roles. I only hope this new film will be just as well cast. The choice for Heathcliffe seems good. Fassbender has the right sort of wild rugged look to him with the perfect furrowed brow for endless brooding as Heathcliffe.
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7-16-2008 @ 12:14PM
Lisa said...
First let me say I have seen so many versions of WH and have been extremely disappointed. They either take liberties with the story or ignore second half of the book. Being a die hard WH fan (I have been to Haworth and toured the Bronte parsonage and treked the Yorkshire Moors), I will go and see the movie but will probably be disappointed.
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