ChrisNoonan Tagged Articles at Cinematical

Do you like being second best? I don't, but when it comes to lead in a Chris Noonan film, I'd say fine -- so be it. Renee Zellweger definitely didn't have a problem with it -- as far as we know -- since she took the lead in the well-received Miss Potter. Apparently, Zellweger was not at all Noonan's first choice for the lead; instead, it was the brilliant Cate Blanchett whom Noonan adores. Noonan even considers Blanchett to be equivalent to one of Hollywood's greatest actresses, Katherine Hepburn, whom Blanchett portrayed in The Aviator.

What was the reason for Blanchett's departure from the film? She had the role originally but was forced to give it up for an unreported reason -- but she was as reluctant to give up the role as Noonan was for letting her go. Apparently, Blanchett begged for him to postpone production, but Noonan put it perfectly when he said: "the machine won't stand still."

Even though Zellweger was runner-up for the part of Beatrix Potter, director Noonan was not disappointed in her performance or the end result of the film. Perhaps it was a happy accident for Noonan as he discovered Zellweger to be a joy to work with. The West Australian quotes Noonan describing Zellweger as humble: "She is not a star and doesn't play a star. So you lose the Renee Zellweger when she is playing Beatrix Potter and I think that is remarkable." We all know the saying: as one door closes another one opens -- and as one great actress must decline an incredible project, another remarkable actress must step in.

I'm not exactly sure what led anyone to believe that there would be an audience for a movie about Beatrix Potter - the creator of Peter Rabbit - and her "struggle for independence in Victorian England," but there's one on the way, so hopes must be high. The movie, which will combine live action with animation (Perhaps she was secretly insane, and Peter Rabbit was actually a good friend?), is to be called Miss Potter, and will be directed by Chris Noonan, an Aussie who wrote and directed Babe so, if nothing else, he'll be able to handle the live/animated mix without difficulty.

Starring in the film are Renée Zellweger, who will play the author, and Ewan McGregor as publisher Norman Warne, whose death from leukemia a month after his secret engagement to Potter was a turning point in her life. Additionally, Emily Watson has recently joined the cast in an undermined role.

Slated for a 2007 release, the movie begins filming in early March.