An unlikely partnership.
In the interest of procrastination, here is a picspam of two wonderfully talented actors.
In my mental casting of Laurie R. King's The Beekeeper's Apprentice, Stephen Dillane (John Adams, The Hours) is Holmes and rising star Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland, In Treatment) is Mary Russell. kismeteve and I have considered just making the film ourselves, except that we don't have any money.
Dillane entered my mind when I heard about a controversial one-man show of "Macbeth" he did some years ago (and which I had tickets to see in Sydney, but the performance was cancelled on the day). Someone who could muster the mad energy and magnetism to carry off an entire Shakespeare play by himself, to be a chameleon such as that he was playing all the roles, knew all the lines, I thought would be the ideal actor to play Holmes. He also has "the right look", which I can only describe as being Very Very English, Cerebral, and Proper - and yet he's capable of being wildly sexy at the same time (see Firelight, The Rector's Wife and John Adams).
Wasikowska was unknown to me until the premiere of last year's HBO drama In Treatment. A newcomer to Hollywood at the time, she played the suicidal teenage gymnast, Sophie, holding her own opposite Gabriel Byrne. A Canberra native, her American accent was flawless. I saw in her portrayal of Sophie the outlines of Russell's vulnerability, rebelliousness, razor-sharp intelligence, coltishness and burgeoning sexuality. I like that she is not a conventional (Anglo/American) beauty. Since then, she's been cast as the lead in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, and Gus Van Sant has just cast her in his new movie.
Age-wise, they're pretty much spot on: Dillane is 53 and Wasikowska is 20. At the start of the novel Holmes is 54 and Russell is 15, and by the end I believe they are 59 and 20 respectively.
From an Interview Magazine photoshoot. She reminds me so much of Peta Wilson (La Femme Nikita) in that look.
Amelia.
I don't know whether I like this photo, or hate it. I'm pretty sure that VF has shot Julianne Moore, or Nicole Kidman, or Cate Blanchett in the exact same dress.
You can't see her face in this, but I just had to include this gorgeous shot.
Screenshot from Nine Lives.
Savage Grace.
The Hours.
I swear, from the filmmaker's DVD commentary, Michael Cunningham (writer) has the biggest crush on Stephen. Isn't it obvious why?
Goal!
John Adams.
Going through Savage Grace stills, I've decided I like the idea of Julianne Moore as Patricia Donleavy. But I have no ideas yet for Mrs Hudson or Dr Watson. Any suggestions?
In my mental casting of Laurie R. King's The Beekeeper's Apprentice, Stephen Dillane (John Adams, The Hours) is Holmes and rising star Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland, In Treatment) is Mary Russell. kismeteve and I have considered just making the film ourselves, except that we don't have any money.
Dillane entered my mind when I heard about a controversial one-man show of "Macbeth" he did some years ago (and which I had tickets to see in Sydney, but the performance was cancelled on the day). Someone who could muster the mad energy and magnetism to carry off an entire Shakespeare play by himself, to be a chameleon such as that he was playing all the roles, knew all the lines, I thought would be the ideal actor to play Holmes. He also has "the right look", which I can only describe as being Very Very English, Cerebral, and Proper - and yet he's capable of being wildly sexy at the same time (see Firelight, The Rector's Wife and John Adams).
Wasikowska was unknown to me until the premiere of last year's HBO drama In Treatment. A newcomer to Hollywood at the time, she played the suicidal teenage gymnast, Sophie, holding her own opposite Gabriel Byrne. A Canberra native, her American accent was flawless. I saw in her portrayal of Sophie the outlines of Russell's vulnerability, rebelliousness, razor-sharp intelligence, coltishness and burgeoning sexuality. I like that she is not a conventional (Anglo/American) beauty. Since then, she's been cast as the lead in Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, and Gus Van Sant has just cast her in his new movie.
Age-wise, they're pretty much spot on: Dillane is 53 and Wasikowska is 20. At the start of the novel Holmes is 54 and Russell is 15, and by the end I believe they are 59 and 20 respectively.
From an Interview Magazine photoshoot. She reminds me so much of Peta Wilson (La Femme Nikita) in that look.
Amelia.
I don't know whether I like this photo, or hate it. I'm pretty sure that VF has shot Julianne Moore, or Nicole Kidman, or Cate Blanchett in the exact same dress.
You can't see her face in this, but I just had to include this gorgeous shot.
Screenshot from Nine Lives.
Savage Grace.
The Hours.
I swear, from the filmmaker's DVD commentary, Michael Cunningham (writer) has the biggest crush on Stephen. Isn't it obvious why?
Goal!
John Adams.
Going through Savage Grace stills, I've decided I like the idea of Julianne Moore as Patricia Donleavy. But I have no ideas yet for Mrs Hudson or Dr Watson. Any suggestions?