After reports that Scarlett Johansson and Anne Hathaway were both in the running for My Fair Lady, it has been reported that Keira Knightley has won the role and that Joe Wright, who directed Keira in Pride & Prejudice and Atonement, will direct. I really loved Pride & Prejudice and thought Atonement was very well-made despite my not involving myself in the story very much. Joe Wright has a talent for beautiful-looking films. He will do an excellent job!
Mandrake hears that the 24-year-old actress has beaten Scarlett Johansson to the part of Eliza Doolittle in a new film adaptation of My Fair Lady.
Her victory comes as I can disclose that Joe Wright, who inspired Knightley to her best performance, in Pride and Prejudice, has been chosen to direct the film.
“Joe and Keira are looking forward to working together again immensely,” says a friend of the 37-year-old director.
In August, I reported that Knightley had been forced to compete with Johansson, 24, for the role of the Cockney flower seller played by Audrey Hepburn in the 1964 film.
“I have two actresses as potential Elizas, one British, the other American,” said Sir Cameron Mackintosh, who is producing the film with Duncan Kenworthy, at the time. “You’d know their names, but I’m not letting on.”
Last week, Kenworthy said: “I think Keira would be absolutely fabulous in it.” Emma Thompson is writing the script for the film, for which Daniel Craig has been mooted as a possible Professor Henry Higgins.
After I disclosed in 2006 that Knightley was being lined up for the part by Sir Cameron, she confirmed last year that she had auditioned and begun singing lessons.
Wright had been due to direct Indian Summer, a film about the relationship between Countess Mountbatten of Burma and Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first prime minister, but he has been forced to abandon it after nine months’ work. The Indian government had expressed concern about its portrayal of the alleged love affair.
October 26th, 2009 at 1:15 pm
I didn’t realize that Keira was up against Scarlett for the part! I wouldn’t have minded either one for the role but I can actually imagine Keira as Eliza. Looking forward to it!