Tony Winners James Corden and Nina Arianda Up for Rob Marshall’s “Into the Woods” Leads

May 4, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

intothewoods In a pleasantly surprising twist, it seems director Rob Marshall is not chasing super A-Listers for his next big screen musical adaptation. The Daily Mail first reported that Broadway star Jamie Corden was meeting with Marshall about potentially taking a role in his upcoming “Into the Woods”, and now Showbiz 411 corroborates that the role he would take is the male lead of the Baker. Not only that, but fellow relative unknown Nina Arianda is up for the role of the Baker’s Wife, one of the female leads for the story. Marshall’s film is not without super A-Listers though, as Meryl Streep will play the Witch and Johnny Depp will cameo as the Wolf.

Corden and Arianda took part in a reading of Marshall’s screenplay of the Stephen Sondheim musical back in October, but there was no guarantee (and there still isn’t, presumably) that they would end up in the actual film. But it appears they might be cast after all, which leaves me back to hoping Anna Kendrick will land the role of Cinderella, which she read at the reading. There’s obviously plenty of casting still to go, and no official start date yet, though Streep herself has mentioned October as a possibility.

Corden won a Tony for his role as Francis Henshall in “One Man, Two Guvnors”, which he originated in Britain and followed to Broadway. Like many fellow rising Broadway stars, he’s started landing film roles, most recently opposite Mark Ruffalo and Keira Knightley in “Can a Song Save Your Life?” and “One Chance”, the biopic of Paul Potts, whom Corden plays. Arianda is on a similar trajectory after winning a Tony for her first Broadway play out of drama school, “Venus in Fur.” After supporting roles last year in “Win Win” and especially memorably in “Midnight in Paris”, Arianda will have her first shot at headlining a film with Sean Durkin’s “Joplin”, in which she’ll do her own singing of the late rock legend’s songs.

Nina Arianda joins Paul Newman’s final film “Lucky Them” with Toni Colette

January 31, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

Tony Award winner Nina Arianda is continuing her big screen takeover, with Deadline reporting the budding movie star has joined the cast of “Lucky Them”, the final film legendary actor Paul Newman had been working on at the time of his death in 2008. Toni Colette leads the cast that also includes Thomas Haden Church, Oliver Platt, Ryan Eggold and Ahna O’Reilly.

Emily Wachtel and Huck Botko wrote the script and Botko is directing the film about a female rock journalist (Colette) who, on assignment, goes on a journey to track down her musician ex-boyfriend (Church). The semi-autobiographical story is described as a “late bloomers coming-of-age quirky romantic comedy” and will see Colette’s character living in New York and finding herself while most of her friends have already settled down. Arianda will play Colette’s best friend. Filming began last weekend in Seattle.

Arianda, a recent Tony winner for “Venus in Fur” on Broadway, recently landed a string of big screen projects, the most high profile of which being the role of Janis Joplin in Sean Durkin’s biopic of the late singer. Screen credits thus far include Sundance premieres “Higher Ground” and “Win Win”, and Woody Allen’s Oscar-winning “Midnight in Paris.”

Nina Arianda and Michael Pitt to “Rob the Mob” in true crime thriller

October 29, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

Michael Pitt and Nina Arianda will headline crime thriller “Rob the Mob”, according to Deadline.

The true story, scripted for the big screen by Jonathan Fernandez, will follow Pitt and Arianda as a New York couple who target and rob some of the biggest mobsters in town. Naturally, they get in a bit over their heads and end up on the run with not just the mob, but also the authorities and their own families hot on their trail. Raymond De Felitta will direct with international rights currently up for grabs at AFM.

Pitt plays James ‘Jimmy’ Darmody on HBO’s hit series “Boardwalk Empire” and can currently be seen opposite Colin Farrell and Christopher Walken in “Seven Psychopaths.” Arianda, a recent Tony winner for “Venus in Fur” on Broadway, recently landed a string of big screen projects, the most high profile of which being the role of Janis Joplin in Sean Durkin’s biopic of the late singer.

Nina Arianda, Anna Kendrick and more take part in reading of Rob Marshall’s “Into the Woods” musical adaptation

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

“Les Miserables” is on its way, and now “Into the Woods” is ready to follow in its footsteps. Director Rob Marshall has committed to filming the famous Stephen Sondhein Broadway musical for the big screen, and yesterday, Broadway World (via The Playlist) reports, a star-studded reading of the screenplay kicked things off.

The cast in attendance at yesterday’s reading, in alphabetical order, are: Nina Arianda as The Baker’s Wife; Christine Baranski as the Stepmother; Tammy Blanchard as Florinda; Victoria Clark as Cinderella’s Mother/Giant; James Corden as the Baker; David Garrison as the Narrator; Ivan Hernandez as the Wolf; Megan Hilty as Lucinda; Cheyenne Jackson as Rapunzel’s Prince; Allison Janney as Jack’s Mother; Anna Kendrick as Cinderella; Michael McGrath as the Steward/Baker’s Father; Donna Murphy as the Witch; Laura Osnes as Rapunzel; Taylor Trensch as Jack; Casey Whyland as Little Red Riding Hood; and Patrick Wilson as Cinderella’s Prince.

None of the actors are actually confirmed to be starring in the film itself just yet, though Broadway World reports one person who is in talks to star in the film – for the lead role of The Witch – is none other than Meryl Streep. If you ask us, the twisted fairy tale adaptation could do a lot worse than the cast Marshall put together for this reading.

Both Arianda and Kendrick are intriguing inclusions here, as both have Broadway experience and have been garnering more and more attention on the big screen. Kendrick scored a Tony nomination at the age of 12 for her role in musical “High Society”, and Arianda won the Tony just last year for “Venus in Fur.” Kendrick recently showed off her pipes in current a capella comedy “Pitch Perfect”, and Arianda will be doing some singing as Janis Joplin in biopic “Joplin” next year.

Abbie Cornish lands female lead in “Fellini Black and White”

August 27, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

Australian actress Abbie Cornish has been cast in the female lead role of Betty in Frederico Fellini biopic “Fellini Black and White”, according to Deadline. Brazilian star Wagner Maura plays the legendary Italian director while Tony winner Nina Arianda is set for the role of his wife, Italian actress Giulietta Masina. The cast of the 1950s drama is rounded out by William H. Macy, Terrence Howard and Peter Dinklage.

Written and to be directed by Henry Bromell, “Fellini Black and White” will follow Fellini and Masina’s 1957 trip to Los Angeles, where he would win his first Oscar for Best Foreign Language film. The trip, however, was marred in mystery as he disappeared for two days and almost didn’t make it to his ceremony. Bromell will speculate that Il Maestro “fell under the spell of Hollywood and America in the 1950s and spent the two days discovering jazz, surfing and romancing a local lover who was a vet. He then emerged as a changed man who broke with his previous neo-realist style and went on to create his greatest movie hits.” Cornish will play that veterinarian.

Cornish, who appeared in “Limitless”, “Sucker Punch” and Madonna’s “W.E.” last year, will soon be seen in crime caper comedy “Seven Psychopaths” with Sam Rockwell. She also recently landed the female lead in the “Robocop” remake opposite Joel Kinnaman and is also attached to star in indie drama “An Ordinary Man” with Brendan Gleeson.

Nina Arianda to play Il Maestro’s muse Giulietta Masina in “Fellini Black and White”

July 30, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

Nina Arianda has really come from nowhere to become a major talent to keep an eye on in Hollywood. After scoring a major get portraying Janis Joplin on the big screen, Deadline reports she has lined up another gig playing a real life icon. In biopic “Fellini Black and White” about the iconic Italian director, Arianda will portray Giulietta Masina, Fellini’s wife of fifty years and the star of many of his films, including “La Strada” and “Nights of Cabiria.” William H. Macy, Terrence Howard and Peter Dinklage round out the cast that is led by Brazilian star Wagner Maura, who plays Fellini.

Arianda landed her first major role on Broadway just a year after graduating from drama school and with her second Broadway play, “Venus in Fur”, she had her first Tony. After supporting roles last year in “Win Win” and especially memorably in “Midnight in Paris”, Arianda will have her first shot at headlining a film with Sean Durkin’s “Joplin”, in which she’ll do her own singing of the late rock legend’s songs. She’s currently shooting two-parter “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby” opposite Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy.

“Janis” star Nina Arianda takes Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy through therapy in “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby”

July 12, 2012 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in Casting Leave a comment

Nina Arianda is a name to keep your eyes on.

Two days after landing a big break playing legendary folk singer Janis Joplin in a biopic entitled “Janis” and to be directed by “Martha Marcy May Marlene” helmer Sean Durkin, the recent Tony award-winning actress has signed on to star alongside Oscar nominee Jessica Chastain and James McAvoy in “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby“.

“The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby” is a two part film, “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Hers” and “The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: His“. The two films tells the same story but from differing points of view, chronicling the troubled relationship of a wife (Chastain) who has recently decided to go back to college, and her husband (McAvoy), a restauranteur. Showbiz411 reports that Arianda is set to play their therapist.

Ned Benson is making his directorial debut on the two films, as well as penning the scripts.

Arianda made her big screen debut in 2011 in “Win Win” and “Higher Ground”, both of which premiered at Sundance. She also had a supporting performance as Michael Sheen’s wife in Woody Allen’s “Midnight in Paris” but “Janis” marks her first leading role.

Tony winner Nina Arianda to play Janis Joplin in big screen biopic

July 10, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 2 Comments

Recent Tony winner Nina Arianda has landed a big break on the big screen, and will play legendary folk singer Janis Joplin in a biopic to be directed by “Martha Marcy May Marlene” helmer Sean Durkin, according to Deadline.

The film, titled “Joplin”, will chronicle the final six months of the singer’s life, with flashbacks to earlier times, and Arianda will perform several of Joplin’s best-known songs. Filming is set to begin early next year. “I’ve never in my life seen an actress walk on a stage and convey the duality of vulnerability with overheated sexuality, which is what Janis was all about,” the film’s producer Peter Newman said of seeing Arianda on Broadway.

Arianda made her big screen debut in 2011, in supporting roles in Sundance films “Win Win” and “Higher Ground” and had a more memorable performance as Michael Sheen’s wife in Woody Allen’s “Midnight in Paris”, but “Joplin” will mark her first leading role on film. She won the Tony Award for Best Actress last month for her performance in “Venus in Fur.”

Joel Edgerton, Jessica Chastain and more in for Kathryn Bigelow’s “Kill Bin Laden”

January 5, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

UPDATE: Deadline reports Jessica Chastain, Edgar Ramirez and Mark Strong are now all negotiating to join the cast as well. Chastain could very well play the female reporter embedded with the team. Meanwhile, it looks like her commitment to Tom Cruise sci-fi epic “Oblivion” is now in question as these two projects will film around the same time.

Here’s a story that’s come completely full circle. We first heard about Aussie rising star Joel Edgerton starring in Kathryn Bigelow’s “Kill Bin Laden” back in May, but nothing was finalized and by the time Novemeber rolled around, it appeared his increasingly busy schedule would prevent his involvement and he had been replaced by fellow Aussie Jason Clarke in the lead role. Well, not exactly. Today Variety reveals that indeed, Edgerton will star in the film, with a finalized deal to boot, and Clarke is still on board as well.

One person who Variety says is definitely out is “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” star Rooney Mara, who had been circling the role of a female reporter embedded with the Navy SEAL team eventually tasked with killing Osama Bin Laden. Her “Dragon Tattoo” promotional schedule has prevented her involvement. Meanwhile, there is no word on which of the other names mentioned to be circling the project in recent months – Tom Hardy, Chris Pratt, Idris Elba, Nina Arianda and Jennifer Ehle – have signed on or dropped out. Filming is set to begin next month and is aiming for an Oscar-friendly Dec. 19, 2012 release.

Edgerton caught Hollywood’s attention when he starred in 2010 Australian crime drama “Animal Kingdom”, and his career has been on an exponentially upward swinging trajectory since, with 2012 looking like his biggest breakout moment yet. He’ll head to Sundance for Australian thriller “Wish You Were Here” opposite Teresa Palmer and with this new casting, will seemingly be a big part of next year’s Oscar season, as he will also be seen as Tom Buchanan in Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby”, also releasing in December.

Joel Edgerton out, Rooney Mara, Tom Hardy and more in for Kathryn Bigelow’s “Kill Bin Laden”?

November 10, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 4 Comments

Australian actor Jason Clarke is the first actor to officially sign on for Kathryn Bigelow’s follow-up to 2009′s Oscar-winning “The Hurt Locker”, an untitled film about Navy SEALs involved in the killing of Osama Bin Laden, according to Deadline. This is curious, though, because we’ve thought all these months that Clarke’s “Great Gatsby” co-star Joel Edgerton had been set for the lead. It appears Edgerton is now out, perhaps a consequence of his increasingly busy shooting schedule, and Clarke is in. Others who are being eyed for supporting roles include Tom Hardy, Rooney Mara, Guy Pearce, Jennifer Ehle, Idris Elba and Nina Arianda.

The film is currently untitled but had been known under the working title of “Kill Bin Laden.” Clarke will play the leader of a special operatives group on the self-explanatory mission. Though the initial idea was to chronicle a real-life 2001 mission to kill the now-deceased Al-Qaeda leader that ultimately failed, the film will now include the actual killing of Bin Laden following his fate in real life. It’s curious to see so many actresses being eyed for roles, as the actual Navy SEALs themselves will surely be comprised of all guys. Could such talented actresses – who seem to number the men just about equally – be relegated to love interest/worried wife status? Perhaps in a lesser director’s hands, we need to be more worried.

Clarke appears to have a bit of a breakout moment on the horizon as he appears in John Hillcoat’s “The Wettest County in the World”, Baz Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby” and now Bigelow’s film. Mara is about to hit superstardom when David Fincher’s “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” releases next month and she’s already working on her next project, Terrence Malick’s “Lawless” opposite Ryan Gosling. Hardy broke out in Christopher Nolan’s “Inception” and is reuniting with the director on “The Dark Knight Rises.” He’s also somewhat of an Oscar dark horse for his performance in MMA family drama “Warrior.”

nina arianda