The actor who has been feted at Cannes for his starring role as the IRA
hunger striker, Bobby Sands, is to play Heathcliff in a film adaptation of
Emily Brontė's book, Wuthering Heights.
Michael Fassbender, whose lead performance as Sands in Hunger earned him a
standing ovation when it premiered at Cannes this week, was chosen for his
"brooding" presence, according to film executives.
A spokesperson for Ecosse Films, the British production company, said it had
secured the actor, according to the Hollywood Reporter. "Michael's our
Heathcliff. He has the raw quality we were looking for," said the
spokesperson. "He's the right actor for the role, and he has a sense of star
quality about him."
Tim Haslam, the chief executive of HanWay, which is handing the film's
international sales, added: "He'll be a revelation – brooding, wild and
dangerous – he could be a Brando for Britain." John Maybury, who is
directing the film, was said to be gripped by the power of Fassbender's
acting in the screen test. The director still needs to cast a female lead as
Heathcliff's love, Cathy, after the Hollywood actress, Natalie Portman,
opted out of the role.
A replacement for her is apparently planned "within days", with reports that
Sienna Miller is in early talks for the part. She has only recently finished
working on The Edge of Love, which was directed by Maybury. Olivia Hetreed,
the scriptwriter for Girl With a Pearl Earring, starring Scarlett Johansson
and adapted from Tracey Chevalier's novel, has written the screenplay for
Wuthering Heights. Shooting will begin in the autumn and it is due to be
released next summer.
The production team hopes to steer the film away from "the stuffy costume
drama" format.
Nevertheless, Fassbender, 31, who was born in Germany and moved to Co Kerry
as a child, has admitted to his love of period costumes. On his website, he
said: "They're great. I love them. It makes my job easier. You put on a
costume and you look different."
For his role in Hunger, he shed 16kg to achieve an emaciated look for his
part as the hunger striker, who died in the Maze prison in 1981.
Hi: 17°C / Lw: 13°C
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