Letts to pen OSAGE COUNTY screenplay - film in the works- Page 2

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 8/6/08 at 3:02am

Something about Mary-Louise Parker that bugs me. She always has this too-cool-for-school mentality going on. She has it in Weeds, and she has it outside of Weeds. It's all very Olsen twin.

Faye Dunaway could also be a good Violet.

and how about...Julie White as Karen? I think she'd be perfect.

I'm really getting ahead of myself here.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 8/6/08 at 3:15am

Well, if they're going to cast Julie White as Karen, they might as well just cast Mariann Mayberry, who is excellent on Broadway, but is just as much of a nobody as Julie White.

[TheActr97J]

Posted: 8/6/08 at 3:21am

Sally Field or Ellen Burstyn as Violet would be phe-no-me-nal! I think Laura Linney would be the ideal choice for Barbara, period. What about Bill Murrary as Charlie? Maybe it's just because Francis Guinan reminds me a lot of him, but I think he'd be fantastic.

The casting possibilities are endlessly exciting. I can't wait!

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 8/6/08 at 4:41am

I'm just hoping they don't go cast someone ridiculous like Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, or Julia Roberts for Barbara for the sake of BO (nothing against them, just completely wrong for the part).
And I think it's absurd to say that it'd be disrespectful to Amy Morton to cast a film actress over her. It's show business, and it's Hollywood. If Mary-Louise Parker didn't get cast in the film version of PROOF, at a time when she was already an Emmy/Golden Globe-winning actress for ANGELS IN AMERICA, and had a solid film/TV career (not to mention the fact she had a lot to do with the play's journey to Broadway), then there is very little hope for Morton.
Plus, it's not like people are suggesting Pamela Anderson as Barbara. The actresses suggested in this thread could give brilliant performances that might even match Morton's or come close to it.
Speaking of Mary-Louise Parker, she does vulnerable very well, just see her in FRIED GREEN TOMATOES and ANGELS IN AMERICA. Though I do agree she comes off as a bit standoff-ish sometimes.

[Barihunk]

Posted: 8/6/08 at 8:53am

Loved "August", but have to count myself as one of the minority who in the end admired but did not love Amy Morton's performance and found myself wishing I was watching Alison Janney in the role instead, so she is my wish-Barbara for the movie.
Also, maybe because she was in the audience the day I saw the play, but I have Glenn Close in my mind for Violet.

[D2]

Posted: 8/6/08 at 9:00am

Jean Smart as Mattie Fae is a brilliant casting choice, Ray.

[Borstalboy]

Posted: 8/6/08 at 10:18am

I'm all for Laura Dern as Barb and Diane Ladd as Vi. Although Dern is probably a little too young for it.

[Candleshoe2]

Posted: 8/6/08 at 11:17am

After watching a re-run of "7th Heaven", I'd love to see Eileen Brennan's take on Violet.
Updated On: 8/6/08 at 11:17 AM

[Theatreboy49]

Posted: 8/6/08 at 11:32am

I would like to see dakota fanning play jean. I think shes actually a decent actress and itd be a nice role to step out of the child actress box.

[JenNYferTheatrical]

Posted: 8/6/08 at 1:26pm

Agreeing with the following completely:

Judy Davis- Vi
Amy Morton- Barbra
Dakota Fanning- Jean
Jean Smart- Mattie Fae

[ze emcee]

Posted: 8/6/08 at 1:37pm

Then cast Meryl Streep as Vi! Vi's character is sixty two!

[dburns08]

Posted: 8/6/08 at 3:41pm

Meryl Streep as Violet
Amy Morton as Barbara
Martha Plimpton as Ivy
Dakota Fanning as Jean

I absolutely loved Deanna Dunagan on Broadway (same with Estelle Parsons) but Streep has the film credibility and audience pull and she is an incredible screen actress.
Updated On: 8/6/08 at 03:41 PM

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 8/6/08 at 3:46pm

Meryl Streep and Amy Morton may be believable as siblings but not mother and daughter.

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 8/6/08 at 3:55pm

This is going to be an A-list affair.

If it wasn't, the production team would simply have made it a telefilm for a cable network like HBO (where the possibility of using members of the original cast or lesser known theater actors would have been a genuine one.) Suggesting names like Amy Morton and Martha Plimpton, while terrific possibilities, is completely unrealistic in the medium of film.

Also keep in mind the ages of the characters as written, particularly the structured age of the Weston daughters in relation to their parents. Amy Morton may be able to pull of 46 (Barbara's written age) on stage, but she definitely would skew closer to her 50s on screen.

In regards to the suggestion of Meryl Streep, though she seems to be the go-to choice for any plum stage-to-film adaptation these days, she lacks the haggard, tired, almost "beaten-down-by-life" facade that should be quite apparent in Violet (and beginning to be mirrored in Barbara, whose foreshadowed inheritance of her mother's many demons is the ultimate tragedy of the piece.)

Helen Mirren apparently expressed interest in Violet when news of the film version of the piece first broke months ago, around March. Though she's a somewhat unlikely choice, don't be surprised if her name is thrown into the ring in the coming months.

In fact, the more I picture her as Violet, the more I like the idea.

Updated On: 8/6/08 at 03:55 PM

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 8/6/08 at 4:26pm

Somethingwicked, I actually thought of Mirren, but I think there's something almost too British about her. She is brilliant though, and I haven't really seen enough of her complete work to judge.
I disagree about Meryl Streep though, she is a chameleon, she knows how to transform herself. She was completely unglamorous and "beaten-down-by-life" in SILKWOOD, where she played a character that could have easily been a character from AUGUST: OC. It'd be great to see another great Hollywood actress tackle the role, but if it goes to Streep, I've no doubts she'll turn in a spectacular performance that could be like nothing she has done before.
I agree that this is all about A-listers, as it should be. It's a Hollywood movie.

[JRybka]

Posted: 8/6/08 at 4:31pm

Is Dame Judi Dench too old? She can read from a phone book and I am mesmerized.

I have not seen the play (I was there when it did the switch from theater to theater and missed it) so I don't know.....

[thevolleyballer]

Posted: 8/6/08 at 8:54pm

I would love to see Ellen Page as Jean, even though she's much older. I feel as though Jean can be any age, as long as it's under 18, and if Ellen Page were to play her as, say, 16 or 17, it could work.

[Boq101]

Posted: 8/7/08 at 1:05pm

Elizabeth Gillies who plays Lucy in 13 and was in that movie Harold this year should play Jean. She's AMAZING.

[MiracleElixir]

Posted: 8/8/08 at 6:01pm

Just to address some Foster comments:


"People, Meryl Streep is too old. Just because a Hollywood actress can afford to have multiple plastic surgeries doesn't mean she's not still 60."

-- I don't claim to know the woman, but I don't think she's had work done. It seems kind of presumptious to just state it as fact. If you've ever seen her in person, or even on TV interviews, sure, she looks great for 60, but she certainly has her share of wrinkles and signs of her age; she's no Bernadette Peters. Just because everyone in "Mamma Mia" was so caked with makeup and shot with vaseline-over-the-lens cinematography doesn't mean she's had plastic surgery. --



"Barbara has a 14 year old daughter. It just won't work. She needs to start playing roles her own age. It's not like she's some unknown actress and people don't know her real age."

-- It's 2008. It's hardly unheard of for people to have kids in their early-to-mid 40s. And considering Amy Morton is only a couple years younger than Streep, your nitpick seems especially bitchy. --



"The most realistic possibility, and I doubt this would even happen, would be Oscar winner Estelle Parsons playing Violet in the movie. If they want the film to make money -- which of course they do (what other reason would there be for making it into a film?) -- then they'll cast recognizable names with Hollywood credit."

-- Oscar winner, sure. Great actress, sure. But Parsons is not a name most Americans recognize, let alone one that will draw them to a theater. --



"Kathy Bates has played this role time and time again. I'd like to see an actress play Mattie Fae who can bring something new to the table. It would just be the same old, same old with Kathy Bates. She is the obvious choice because she always plays fat, slobby women. The role needs someone who can bring some humanity to the role toward the end of the story."

-- While the other comments were wrong-headed, this one is outright offensive and, dare I say it, stupid. Saying Kathy Bates always plays "fat, slobby women" is akin to saying Keira Knightley always plays "skinny, pretty, disaffected" women. You're describing aesthetics, not definitions of character. Kathy Bates has played an extremely diverse set of roles -- have you only seen her in "About Schmidt" and assume she always plays slobby loudmouths? See "Misery," "Dolores Claiborne," "The Waterboy," "Titanic," "Fried Green Tomatoes," "Dick Tracy," "A Home of Our Own." Were all these roles the same because she played a fat woman in all of them?

I personally think she would make a fantastic Mattie Faye, and if you don't think she could bring the "humanity" the character needs at the end of the story, please rent "Primary Colors," where her colorful liberal lesbian character transforms from comic relief into the tragic broken heart of the film. Sorry to ramble, but you really should have a vague idea of an actress's capabiity or body of work before you dismiss and denegrate her. --
Updated On: 8/8/08 at 06:01 PM

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 8/8/08 at 6:45pm

"If Mary-Louise Parker didn't get cast in the film version of PROOF, at a time when she was already an Emmy/Golden Globe-winning actress for ANGELS IN AMERICA, and had a solid film/TV career (not to mention the fact she had a lot to do with the play's journey to Broadway)"

Proof was cast and filming before Angels in America was shown on Television. So, that's not really true. And Ms. Paltrow did the play in London... so... this isn't as cut and dry as you're making it sound.

Also, Bug used a member of the original cast... not listing a studio in the post... why are we assuming this isn't going to be an independant affair... one that could take risks on using the original cast...?


kmc

[theaterkid1015]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 10:39am

Bumping this to throw a name in the mix:

Frances McDormand

She's a fantastic actress with some box office clout. I don't know the play that well, but I know it's full of strong female roles. Thoughts?

[dburns08]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 5:19pm

Since we're throwing around possibilities...

I really like the idea of Rachel Griffiths as Barbara.

But how about:
Jeanetta Arnette as Barbara
Rachel McAdams as Karen

[somethingwicked]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 10:30pm

Rachel McAdams may only be 32, but she reads as much younger on screen. Besides the fact that Karen is written to be 40, McAdams would almost surely look like the granddaughter of whatever actress ends up being cast as Violet.

Someone like Debra Messing or Jennifer Connelly would be more appropriate for Karen.

Other interesting ideas for Barbara? Julianne Moore, Joan Cusack, and Patricia Clarkson.

[The Distinctive Baritone]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 10:59pm

As has been pointed out, this movie will surely have an all-star cast. In fact, I think it would best to start fresh anyway and not be dealing with actors trying to recreate what they did onstage.

I think Laura Linney as Barb is perfect casting pretty much. I also agree that Meryl Streep would be fantastic as Vi. I'm sure she'll get offered the part--whether or not she takes it is another matter.

The husbands are easy to cast--I'm sure they'll find some good ol' reliable Hollywood character actors.

Keep Dakota Fanning out of this though! She's wrong for the part, and an unknown as Jean would be more effective anyway.

[gilvisto]

Posted: 8/10/08 at 11:15pm

I'm sorry, but am I the only one who sees this as a bad idea? I love August as much as anyone, Letts is brilliant and deserved that Pulitzer, but really... I just don't see it translating well onscreen. How do you advertise it? Imagine the movie voiceover guy:

"Every family has a secret..."
*flashes of Barb tackling her mother, cut to the almost-molestation scene*
"This one has several"
*cut to the dinner scene: "I am addicted to drugs. Especially downers"*
"August: Osage County"

anyone else see the problem with this?