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« Nathaniel's No Fly Zone | Main | O, Prez »
Wednesday
Sep122012

Ewan joins the cast of "August: Osage County"

Julia Roberts. Meryl Streep.

Margo Martindale. Abigail Breslin. Juliette Lewis. Cumberbatch. Chris Cooper. Dermot Mulroney. And Sam Shepard as Beverly Weston.

And now, Ewan McGregor.

_____

insert squeal here to stifle the natural hyperbolic reaction.

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Reader Comments (71)

I think I have loved every casting announcement for this film :)

September 12, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterJamie

OK, this cast is as close to perfection as possible. I'm especially excited for Margo Martindale who, I hope, will receive her long-overdue recognition at the Oscars. This could be a good opportunity for Ewan as well. I feel the case will swim in Oscar nods. :) I'm beyond excited.

Also, Misty Upham plays Johnna, the native American girl. :)

Now, it's only Ivy. Wonder who it will be.

September 12, 2012 | Unregistered Commenterdinasztie

OMG, my marvelous Margo Martindale. ALWAYS makes an impression. So brilliant in Nobody's Fool and Million Dollar Baby. But her wry turn in Marvin's room...she uses comedy to get straight to the drama, but sparing no laughs. Sublime actress.

September 12, 2012 | Unregistered Commenterbrookesboy

Arms folded until the reviews come in.

September 12, 2012 | Unregistered Commenter4rtful

Ewaaaann (said in Homer Simpson drooling voice)

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_qL12k7T8B0Q/TQ2g7C-ycJI/AAAAAAAAAB0/zD2ezukzbmw/s1600/homer+drool+2.gif

September 12, 2012 | Unregistered Commenteriggy

I heard jacki weaver for ivy.

September 12, 2012 | Unregistered Commentermark

Trace Letts!! Fuck Yeah!! Killer Joe is still the best movie of the year. Until I see The Master of course

September 12, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterJosh

every time a cast is so big and so good the mnovie is always bad...

September 12, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterJoseph

Joseph: I would tend to agree with you, with too huge exceptions: "The Towering Inferno" and "Murder On the Orient Express." The mold got broke.

September 12, 2012 | Unregistered Commenterbrookesboy

@Joseph: I'm reminded of the incredible cast for 'Evening' in how GOOD this sounds, but we all remember how that turned out. But I trust the source material here more.
Also: anything by Altman ;)

Who's Misty? I'm not familiar with her...

@4rtful: I just had this awesome image of you sitting grumpily in the corner, glowering impatiently. It made me giggle :D teehee.

September 12, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterBeau

@beau: misty upham was in Frozen river with Melissa Leo

ugh... the cast of this movie is insane and too good to be true

September 12, 2012 | Unregistered Commentereduardo

With my arms unfolded... I think this a stellar cast and I do hope Jackie Weaver plays Ivy. This one shouldn't... almost can't, lose ... Unfortunately , I still have my doubts about Robert's' acting chops in this company!?

September 12, 2012 | Unregistered Commenterrick

Isn't Jacki Weaver a little old for Ivy?????

September 12, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterJamie

jacki weaver is too old to play Ivy. Ivy is Barbara's (Julia Roberts) sister. I'm surprised they cast Juliette Lewis as Karen-- I thought of her as more of an Ivy

September 12, 2012 | Unregistered Commentertom

Awesome news, I just hope Julia Roberts drops out ( a boy can dream).

September 12, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterYibbet

@Yibbet - IKR

September 12, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterPhilip

I'm trying to contain my excitement. It's not working very well.

Marisa Tomei for Ivy!

September 12, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterJonny

i wish i could join y'all in the excitement. the play is magnificent and this cast is good (though i still think Streep is kinda wrong for Violet.) but the director just has no pizazz. he's a very journeyman director -- at least from his first picture "company man" and i can't see this working without a really potent director given that it's very much a stage play.

September 12, 2012 | Registered CommenterNATHANIEL R

Hope you're wrong Nathaniel. Maybe George Clooney will hold the director's hand?

September 12, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterJamie

I'm excited about the cast, especially Margo Martindale. I thought the stage play was rather tedious and I'm hoping the film turns out better.

September 12, 2012 | Unregistered Commenterbrandz

Am I the only one who's gonna cry foul about Ewan's casting? Yes, he's incredibly talented and super charismatic and terribly gorgeous but don't those last two qualities in particular make him seem awfully miscast for this role in particular? I think Wells has done a pretty solid job on most of the casting (especially Martindale, Cooper, Lewis, Shepard, and Mulroney). But at least give me someone I can believe is a Midwestern college professor. This part calls for a William H. Macy, not a Ewan McGregor.

On a side note, didn't Abigail Breslin's casting seem almost unusually inevitable?

September 12, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterMatthew

If William Friedkin were the one directing this, I'd be much more excited. He's shown an affinity for bringing Letts' work to the screen.

September 12, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterWill H

This is such a great part for an older actress. And it's going to be completely wasted by using Meryl Streep.

September 13, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterJohn

Meryl will knock it out of the park!

September 13, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterJamie

Streep is not "kinda wrong" for the part.

September 13, 2012 | Unregistered Commenterrick

Ewan is very, very, very miscast. The role calls for an older gentleman. He's waaaaay to young. He's supposed to be sleeping with one of his students, and we're (the audience) supposed to wonder how/why.

ANYWAY, I think it's hysterical that every name you mentioned in the post has a first and last except Benedict Cumberbatch.

September 13, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterMike B.

Streep is "kinder wrong" for most parts - there I've said it! The same old set of tricks that people mistake for real acting, I think the only reason she has so many oscar nominations is because of the way the Academy system works, lazy voters just see her name in a film and it's nomination 252 for this really average actress. As for Roberts, has she done anything of significance since 'Pretty Woman'? - don't mention that they gave her an oscar for pushing her tits out! Ewan is going to be out of his depth unless he can find a way to get his cock out! Yes it's got 'Best Picture' written all over it!

September 13, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterJoe U.K.

@Mike B. - He's like a male movie Madonna. He don't need no first name.

@Joe - ...eeks. I don't suppose you'll be there opening night then? ;)

September 13, 2012 | Registered CommenterBeau McCoy

I'm still surprised the play is that popular since I "only" liked it a lot when I read it but now I don't even remember what I liked about it.
And shouldn't Ewan play Chris Cooper's son instead? The casting seems weird.

I'm still excited though to see all these actors being really unhappy and angry together.

September 13, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterJames T

Jacki Weaver is WAY too old to play Ivy. If I remember correctly from the play, Ivy is the middle daughter and Barbara (Julia Roberts) is the oldest. Jacki is like in her mid-sixties.

September 13, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterAaron

I guess I should see a production of the stage play soon so that I can join in in the excitement brought about by these casting announcements. Until then, it will seem like someone just threw some names against a wall and waited to see which ones would stick.

September 13, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterTroy H.

@Joe U.K.

My Rage Against The Streep is legendary in these parts. If you're on Twitter we can have a lovely exchange.

September 13, 2012 | Unregistered Commenter4rtful

Troy -- that is exactly what's happened ;)

September 13, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterNathaniel R

Literally every time I see a new casting announcement for A:OC, I just keep repeating "DON'T SCREW THIS UP DON'T SCREW THIS UP DON'T SCREW THIS UP" to myself over and over. It's the best American play in a REALLY long time and I just keep worrying that the film will fall to pieces. I'll probably even watch it through splayed fingers when it finally opens.

They are assembling QUITE the cast though, even if some of them are, shall we say, INTERESTING choices.

PLEASE, Hollywood. I'm BEGGING you.

DON'T SCREW THIS UP.

September 13, 2012 | Unregistered Commenterdenny

I think that, in terms of matching actor to role, Ewan is the first and only cause for concern here. I could see each and every one of the other actors tackling his or her particular role with gusto. What I appreciate about the casting here is that there really could be familial traits, in personality and in appearance, amongst those cast here. Even Abigail Breslin shares more physically in common with Streep and Roberts than she did with Sarah Jessica Parker or Cameron Diaz, who have previously played her stage moms (Toni Collette, however, who played her mom also shares the resemblance and would be AMAZING as Ivy and a totally worthy choice if Amy Adams has not signed on, as suspected).

September 13, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterSteve

Joe U. K. Besides your opinion, what are your acting qualifications?

September 13, 2012 | Unregistered Commenterrick

Steve, you had me at Toni Collette! Perfect choice!

September 13, 2012 | Unregistered Commenterbrookesboy

@ rick

He doesn't need any. He can sense someone who receives a free pass based on reputation alone. The mantra of greatest living actress, the most destructive meme ever held against every other living or dead who ever did it.

September 13, 2012 | Unregistered Commenter4rtful

I adore the Streep, but that being said, there are so many actresses who could have brought their own unique beauty to the role.

Meryl is a great actress, yes. But she's not the only one.

Can you imagine Maggie Smith, Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Catherine Deneuve, Liv Ullmann, Julie Christie, Judy Davis, Sissy Spacek, or Judi Dench in the role? Seriously! Just picture them in your mind. Some yes, some no. But they would have all been fascinating choices.

September 13, 2012 | Registered CommenterBeau McCoy

Beau, I'm against the Streep mantra, meme, myth making, machine. It's not as though I don't find things to rally behind in her work, but I really want to fist fight some of her most vocal true-believers.

September 13, 2012 | Unregistered Commenter4rtful

Because I sense this conversation going *there*, I shall change directions for a bit. I will go on record as someone who is actually excited to see what Julia Roberts might do in her role. I don't mind confessing that I like her as an actress.

September 13, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterTroy H.

Beau, I miss Julie Christie so much! I am still and forever heartbroken that she didn't win her deserved Oscar for Away From Her. One of the all-time great performances on film. She is pure magic.

September 13, 2012 | Unregistered Commenterbrookesboy

@4rtful

We know how you feel about The Streep. Please tape it shut. I thought this thread was about the casting of Ewan McGregor. IMHO, the casting choices have been excellent because they haven't been the usual suspects. There's great variety and surprising choices in the casting of this film. And if you do want to go 'there', yes, Streep still rocks it.

September 13, 2012 | Unregistered Commenterbrandz

You know what's wrong with this production? It sounds uneventful on paper. None the casting is inspired. If the film turns out to be a critical and commercial disappointment I won't say I told you so because I don't care.

September 13, 2012 | Unregistered Commenter4rtful

@Troy: Right?!?! I'm personally thrilled about the opportunity for her here. I know it's not a widely held opinion, but I've always felt her best work was in 'Closer'. She went for it, Nichols guiding her, and tried something totally different.

@brookesboy: I adore the Christie. She was so fucking good in 'Away From Her'. Sarah Polley is an exquisite director and actress, and as a writer she's incredibly strong. But she has a tendency to write dialogue that can come off as stilted or inorganic; Christie took these words and made them into poetry. I don't begrudge Cotillard's win, her being one of the best actresses to have appeared in the last ten years, but there is something truly beautiful about what Christie did in that film.

I always think of what Polley said to her cinematographer and smile; "I want you to light her like she's the most beautiful thing on the planet." And he did. And she was. :)

September 13, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterBeau

@4rtful: You don't think Martindale is inspired casting? That's personally the one that I'm most excited about! I've always wanted to see that woman get a role like this. I think of her in 'Paris Je T'aime' and smile. :) Mulroney is different as well! I'm sure him and Roberts are so excited to be working together again.

September 13, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterBeau

Margo Martindale's a fine actress. I'm a bit sour this won't be Bates' second Oscar.

September 13, 2012 | Unregistered Commenter4rtful

Oh! :) Don't worry about her, love. She's a talented woman; something even better's probably waiting in the wings. Just when you think you won't see them as much or ever again, there they are.

September 13, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterBeau

Beau you're a warm blanket.

September 13, 2012 | Unregistered Commenter4rtful

Beau: We are sympatico about her performance in "Closer" as well! I found it to be some of her most textured work.

September 13, 2012 | Unregistered CommenterTroy H.
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