Imogen Poots, Alison Brie, Emilia Clarke and more vying for “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”

October 2, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 3 Comments

Imogen Poots, Teresa Palmer, “Game of Thrones” star Emilia Clarke, “Downton Abbey” star Jessica Brown Findlay and “Community” star Alison Brie are vying for “a significant new role” in “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”, according to Deadline. This new report also appears to take the previously-rumored Anna Kendrick and Felicity Jones out of the running.

Chris Evans is reprising his role as the super soldier turned leader of “The Avengers” for the sequel that will take in modern times, with Sebastian Stan set to reprise his role as Bucky Barnes, who becomes the titular Winter Soldier and Scarlett Johansson returning to play the Black Widow, who shares significant history with Bucky in the comics. Anthony Mackie signed on recently to play Falcon, Cap’s longtime partner in crime in the comics, making his Marvel Film Universe debut. Anthony and Joseph Russo will direct “Captain America: The Winter Soldier” next March, with a release already set for April 4, 2014.

It’s unclear what role the young actresses are testing for, though it’s believed to be a new love interest for Steve. Could it be Sharon Carter, great-niece to Peggy Carter, the love Steve left behind in the 1940s and played by Hayley Atwell in “Captain America: The First Avenger”?

Garrett Hedlund and Jessica Brown-Findlay sing a “Lullaby”

May 19, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

It’s still unclear if they will star together in Akiva Goldsman’s “Winter’s Tale”, but Garrett Hedlund and Jessica Brown-Findlay will get to be co-stars after all, as THR reports from Cannes the two young actors will be part of the impressive ensemble cast for comedy-drama “Lullaby.” Amy Adams, Jennifer Hudson, Terrence Howard and Richard Jenkins round out the cast.

The familial drama will center around an estranged son (Hedlund) who learns that his father (Jenkins) has decided to take himself off life support. Acclaimed artist Andrew Levitas will make his directorial debut on the project, with shooting set to begin in June in New York.

Hedlund will be heading to Cannes next week to premiere Walter Salles’ long-gestating adaptation of “On the Road”, and recently wrapped on the Coens’ “Inside Llewyn Davis” opposite Oscar Isaac and Carey Mulligan. Brown-Findlay is mostly known for her role as Lady Sybil on hit British series “Downton Abbey” and landed the female lead in “Winter’s Tale”, beating out the likes of Lily Collins and Bella Heathcote. Colin Farrell has reportedly been offered the male lead, though nothing official has taken place and Hedlund, along with Aaron Johnson, Luke Evans and Tom Hiddleston remain in the mix.

Jessica Brown Findlay lands “Winter’s Tale”; Aaron Johnson and Garrett Hedlund front-runners for male lead

March 21, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 2 Comments

Now that the project is officially a go at Warner Bros, Akiva Goldsman is moving fast on his passion project, a big budget adaptation of Mark Helprin’s 1983 fantasy novel “Winter’s Tale”, and today Deadline reports he has cast his leading lady. “Downton Abbey” star Jessica Brown Findlay beat out the likes of Bella Heathcote and Lily Collins to land the role of Beverly Penn, while the lead role of young thief Peter Lake currently has two front-runners, Aaron Johnson and Garrett Hedlund. Last we heard, Tom Hiddleston and Benjamin Walker were testing for the role, but it appears Goldsman has skewed a bit younger.

UPDATED: Variety reports it is Hiddleston and Luke Evans who have the “inside track” on the Peter Lake role, while Hedlund and Johnson aren’t mentioned at all.

The film takes place in a New York City that is markedly different from the island as we know it. It takes place in the 19th Century and follows Peter, who became a thief out of necessity following a bad childhood, only to end up estranged from the group and making a mortal enemy of its leader, Pearly Soames. On a house robbery, Peter meets and falls for the terminally ill Beverly Penn. She becomes the catalyst and the force of change in his life. Another major character is a mythical flying white horse, Athansor, who acts as Peter’s guardian. Russell Crowe has committed to playing the role of Soames, along with Will Smith, who will cameo as a judge. Oscar winning screenwriter Goldsman will make his directorial debut on the project, which has a start date of October 15th in New York.

Findlay is most known to American audiences for her series regular role as Lady Sybil on hit PBS/BBC production “Downtown Abbey”, which follows the lives of the aristocratic Crawley family and their servants early in the reign of King George V. She has also appeared on teen favorite “Misfits” and can be seen in a starring role in British indie drama “Albatross” opposite Felicity Jones.

Lily Collins and “Downton Abbey” star Jessica Brown Findlay added to “A Winter’s Tale” shortlist

February 28, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 3 Comments

Many upcoming films that were casting young stars a few months ago have been put on hold, but apparently not Akiva Goldsman’s passion project. According to THR, “A Winter’s Tale”, a time-shifting sci-fi romantic epic will be testing actors in New York next week and actresses on March 12. Back in November, we heard that up for the male lead were Benjamin Walker and Tom Hiddleston, and for the female lead starlets lining up included Elizabeth Olsen, Bella Heathcote, Gabriella Wilde and Sarah Gadon. Now, THR’s new report indicates Heathcote, Hiddleston and Walker are still set to test, and Lily Collins and “Downton Abbey” star Jessica Brown-Findlay will test for the female lead as well. It’s unclear if the previously shortlisted ladies are still in the running.

Tom Cullen, John Boyega and more nominated for Most Promising Newcomer at British Independent Film Awards

October 31, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Awards 1 Comment

Some of our favorite up and comers got some award recognition this morning as the British Independent Film Awards announced their annual list of nominees. Steve McQueen’s “Shame”, Thomas Alfredson’s “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy” and Paddy Considine’s “Tyrannosaur” were the big newsmakers, each being nominated in all the major categories including Best Film, Best Director and Best Acting (Lead and Supporting).

In the most relevant of categories: Most Promising Newcomer, some of our favorites including John Boyega, star of “Attack the Block”, Tom Cullen of “Weekend” and Jessica Brown Findlay of “Albatross” are shortlisted along with Craig Roberts and Yasmin Paige of “Submarine.”

On the acting side, some of our favorite more established actors are nominated as well. In the Best Actor category, Michael Fassbender was an easy nominee for “Shame”, a feat he’ll no doubt hope to replicate at the more mainstream BAFTA Awards later and eventually, the Oscars; he’ll be up against Gary Oldman for “Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy”, Peter Mullan for “Tyrannosaur”, Neil Maskell for “Kill List” and Brendan Glesson for “The Guard.”

For Best Actress, Oscar hopeful Tilda Swinton for “We Need to Talk About Kevin” will contend with less likely Oscar hopefuls Mia Wasikowska for “Jane Eyre”, Rebecca Hall for “The Awakening”, Oliva Coleman for “Tyrannosaur” and MyAnna Burning for “Kill List.”

The winners will be revealed at a ceremony on December 4th, 2011. The full list of nominees is below:

William and Kate to meet BAFTA’s inaugural class of Brits to Watch: Juno Temple, Harry Lloyd and more

July 6, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Features, Lists 5 Comments

On July 8th, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will be in Los Angeles attending the inaugural BAFTA Brits to Watch event, during which they will meet and hob nob with 42 hand-picked British writers, directors, cinematographers, producers and more filmmakers, who have shown great promise and are on their way to hugely successful careers. BAFTA said the names are “generally not complete beginners in their industry, and will have already begun to show real promise.”

Among the 42 names, which also include writer/directors like Joe Cornish (“Hot Fuzz”) and Gareth Edwards (“Monsters”), are 8 up and coming British actors, who we will take a closer look at below. William and Kate, get ready to meet Talulah Riley, Tom Hughes, Jessica Brown Findlay, Daniel Kaluuya, Juno Temple, Owain Yeoman, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Harry Lloyd.

jessica brown findlay