They’re both beautiful young starlets – one the 19-year-old star of an Oscar-winning flick, the other yet to see her first two movies released. But it is 23-year-old British actress Sienna Miller who has beaten Lost In Translation’s Scarlett Johannson to the leading female role in a new big screen drama about Casanova.
Sienna, who has made headlines in recent months as Jude Law’s new flame, tried out against several actresses for the part of Francesca, the daughter of an impoverished Venetian aristocrat who is impervious to the legendary lover’s blandishments. She will star opposite Heath Ledger, in the £40-million production.
“Scarlett was certainly someone we looked at,” says the flick’s producer Mark Gordon. “But she wasn’t cast and we decided to go with Sienna.” He adds: “Sienna’s going to be a big star. She’s got the talent and everything else, but who knows about these things? We’ll give her everything she needs and the rest is up to Sienna.”
Work on the film, which is directed by Lasse Hallstrom, kicks of on August 1 in Venice.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
