Role of Fanny Brawne cast for Bright Star!!

[Credo Buffa]

Right you are, Malia: he's not too old! At least we can rest assured at this early stage that they didn't screw up that bit too much.

[Saturn]

Damn I thought I had an exclusive

I read about this Ben Whishaw this afternoon and was looking forward to breaking the bad [good?] news to you all

I think I'm just happy that the ball is finally rolling now and I look forward to seeing the film even if it is atrocious, though judging by Ms Campion's previous work I think that is unlikely. Her films are controversial, uncomfortable at times but never bad.

I too get the idea that Keats will not come out all well in this film - I don't know what it is but this may be a feminist-eyed view of Keats.

I really hope not though

What I'd love to see more than anything, more than the cast is the script. I want to know how much of Keats life and work is actually in it.
Is for instance the death of his father, mother and Tom in it?
Is his relationship with George explored?
Is the controlling, negligent Abbey portrayed?
Will Hunt be shown? Haydon?

Will this be, as all the synopsis seem to warn, merely an exploration of the relationship between Fanny and Keats?

So many questions...not enough answers yet.

Hopefully more will emerge soon

Whatever happens this is an exciting time

[Saturn]

I wanted James McAvoy too, but I think Whishaw's hair is about right, if it was a touch more red. In any case, here it is. I hope I won't be forever barred for this.

Don't be silly

Welcome on board AsphidelElysium [great name by the by!].

Thanks for bringing us this news

[AsphodelElysium]

Thank you everyone, for the welcome. I know I just burst in here like a crazy person in the theater yelling "fire," except it was "Ben Whishaw! Ben Whishaw!" Saturn, you have my apologies for stealing the thunder .

I've also had the sinking feeling that this movie is going to revolve more around Fanny than John. I see it being this examination of the strong, independent, free-spirited Fanny Brawne and how she is simultaneously repressed by and part of John's creative genius. I'm afraid certain letters, namely the spring letters of 1820, will come up. And I'm afraid Campion will go with John the Tyrant and not John the-man-in-love portrayal. But I guess we'll have to wait and see.

It is nice, though, they found an actor that isn't too old. I'm still not sure how I feel about Ms. Cornish. I also think she's too pretty and I'm not sure if that is just Hollywood or if its going to somehow feed into the persona I mentioned above. In any case, YAY, a movie with John in it! I feel the need to go and watch some of Whishaw's previous performances and see how he measures up.

Does anyone have any preferences for who should play Haydon?

[Malia]

Who should play Haydon? Hmm. . .I must admit I don't know enough about actors (at least young ones) to have a good suggestion. But he should at the very least have a pugnacious mouth

[AsphodelElysium]

I was thinking Paul Bettany for Haydon. Particularly his appearance in Master and Commander, which seems to be a close fit.

http://www.imdb.com/gallery/ss/0311113/ ... ny,%20Paul

[Credo Buffa]

Oh, but Paul Bettany is far too pretty. The real Haydon was. . . definitely not. http://www.npg.org.uk/live/search/portrait.asp?LinkID=mp02100&rNo=4&role=sit

I'm personally very anxious to see who will portray Brown and Severn, since they will certainly be very significant supporting characters.

Y'know, the more I look at this Whishaw kid, the more I think he'll do. I saw this particular image and thought almost immediately of the similarity in some features to Keats's life mask: http://imdb.com/gallery/ss/0396171/2ab. ... 0Ben&seq=5
He's also apparently 5'9", which isn't quite as short as we might like, but certainly not too tall, particularly if they find tall actors to stand around him. And apparently Ms. Cornish is 5'8", so at least the two of them will compare pretty well next to each other (though am I right in remember that I read somewhere that Fanny was a tad bit taller than Keats?). But in any case, I imagine once he grows his hair out a bit a la Regency and starts spouting poetry, he'll convince us all.

Anyway, I see that he's in Enduring Love, which ironically enough has a character in it who is a Keats scholar. I read the book by Ian McEwan last summer and have really been wanting to see the movie (I believe it has Daniel Craig in it as well ), so now this gives me extra insentive!

[AsphodelElysium]

I was thinking on Wilkie's sketch when I made the comparison.

http://englishhistory.net/keats/images/haydon.jpg

I've always had a soft spot for Haydon. I suppose it is because his end was as tragic as John's in its own way.

Who do you think should play Brown and Severn?

Evangelist-Walsh and I do believe, Bate, made the observation that Fanny had to look down slightly at John. I don't think I've seen anything Whishaw's been in, but I want to, just to see how sharp his acting skills are.

[Credo Buffa]

I was thinking on Wilkie's sketch when I made the comparison.

http://englishhistory.net/keats/images/haydon.jpg

Yeah, I think Wilkie's sketch is a bit. . . generous. I dunno, maybe he wasn't quite so harsh as he appears in the various paintings and mask that are out there of him, but he certainly wasn't a Paul Bettany. Though few men are.

I have no ideas for Brown or Severn. It's probably pointless at this point to speculate anyway, since they're likely to be people we wouldn't recognize. It's probably a good thing in the end, though, because we'll be better able to see the characters rather than the actors portraying them.

[AsphodelElysium]

It's probably a good thing in the end, though, because we'll be better able to see the characters rather than the actors portraying them.

Agreed.

[Malia]

As far as Severn goes, if this movie had been made about 10 years ago, I would have suggested Crispin Bohnam Carter for the role. If you see him in Pride & Prejudice as Bingley--he has the look *and* the attitude of Severn almost perfect! (Albeit that Bingley had a bit more money than Severn ) But as far as actors today are concerned, geez, I have no idea.

[Saturn]

Woah this topic has certainly caught everyone's imagination - keep it up guys :

There's a young-ish actor called Stephen Campbell Moore who I think could be a good Severn

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1304386/

He was also in the BBC drama Byron as Hobhouse but I'm sure you wouldn't hold that against him...


I have loads of suggestions for casting but I'm afraid most of them would be British actors none of you guys have heard of

[Credo Buffa]

Ha ha, that thought did cross my mind, Malia. Though I have to say that it might be because you first suggested it.

[AsphodelElysium]

I have loads of suggestions for casting but I'm afraid most of them would be British actors none of you guys have heard of

Suggest anyway, Saturn, we can always go look.

I think Malia has sold me on Crispin Bohnam Carter, though, especially when when I think of him as Bingley. There is such an air of naive goodwill about him...

I'm still pondering who should play Brown and I'm starting to wonder about Hunt. He was a rather handsome man. It will be interesting to see who they cast, if they cast, for him.

Do you think Shelley and Byron will make appearances or no?

[Saturn]

Do you think Shelley and Byron will make appearances or no?

Byron? I very much doubt it. Keats and he never met and they never knew each other directly.

Shelley? Perhaps he may make a small appearance.

Keats met Shelley at Hunt's many times and of course famously Shelley offered to put him up in Pisa and Keats respectfully refused.

They were never really friends in any meaningful sense and Keats was rather uncomfortable with Shelley's somewhat patronising attitude to his work.

Shely would be a hard part to cast as his most famous portrait by Amelia Curran is notoriously seen as a botched job so no-one really knows what he looked like

I also wonder if the famous meeting with Coleridge will be featured? I think the effect of this meeting on Keats has really been overlooked.