Adding to the already big star cast of the new King Lear film adaptation, The Guardian report that Naomi Watts will play the third sister alongside the previously announced Keira Knightley and Gwyneth Paltrow.
Anthony Hopkins plays the title role in the Joshua Michael Stern (Swing Vote) version of the Shakespeare classic, a role he first performed in 1987!
Stern says…
“The one thing that I’m staying away from is stunt casting,” said Stern, “so there won’t be the American comedian, but there will be some really great actors playing smaller roles that will make a lot of sense.”
He went on to say that we can expect to hear some further big casting very soon. The project is already the highest profile Shakespeare work since the 2004 under-rated movie The Merchant of Venice, one Al Pacino’s best performances of recent years.
Personally, I’m still a little saddened that it won’t be Ian McKellen starring in this adaptation but I don’t need to remind anyone that Hopkins is still one of the finest actors around. Now let’s hope Stern keeps the campness of movies like The Other Boleyn Girl and Elizabeth: The Golden Age on low and goes out and gives us a REAL tragedy with some REAL acting.
