Cast This!: A Bosom Buddy for Tilda's Auntie Mame
Friday, July 29, 2016 at 9:00AM 
Chris here. It's been so long since we first heard about Tilda Swinton's plans to remake Auntie Mame that we'd assumed the project had died. But, as it turns out, Annie Mumolo and Tilda Swinton are giving us a banquet because we poor suckers are starving to death.
While being interviewed by Vanity Fair, Oscar-nominated screenwriter Annie Mumolo let slip that she's working on the screenplay for Auntie Mame, with Tilda Swinton taking over Rosalind Russell's fur coat. No, it won't be a musical version, because Tilda Swinton in a musical would be too much for our tender hearts.
This would be a huge star vehicle for the actress, putting her at the forefront of a big cast rather than her usual spot on the periphery of comedic ensembles. One thing Swinton doesn't get enough credit for is her incredible chemistry with a wide range of different kinds of performers, so the possibilities to pair her with a great cast is all too exciting. From her nephew Patrick, goofy Gooch, and dreamy Beau, there are a lot of great parts to bounce of Swinton's eccentric socialite.
Vera (Coral Browne) and Mame (Rosalind Russell) in the 1958 classic
But the role we should all be most intrigued to see cast opposite Swinton's Mame is her bosom buddy Vera. More after the jump...
Vera is her drunken, glamorous actress pal, just as dryly funny as the leading lady - so her performer will need to be a match to Swinton in order to satisfy our need for powerful actress couplings. Let's daydream some options.
Julianne Moore - We may be prone to wanting God herself to be in just about everything here at The Film Experience, but this pairing would be particularly worth begging for. For anyone who says she's not quite a comic actress, here are the receipts: Maggie's Plan, The Big Lebowski, The Kids Are All Right. Plus two redheaded leading ladies in one flim? *swoon*
Viola Davis - Queen Viola may not be very experienced in comedy, but no one nails withering shade or adoring friendship quite like her. And it's about time she gets to have some fun after nothing but dramatic roles. Even in the upcoming Suicide Squad she's going to have to be the serious one. Let her have fun, dammit!
Sarah Paulson - Maybe she's played one too many friends in movies, but she always makes the women she plays more than a second fiddle. Her Down With Love performance should be a gold standard of period comedy acting.
Maya Rudolph - She's already been in one Mumolo galpal pairing, and if Mumolo's script has a contemporary edge, no one is more equipped to handle any brand of humor than Rudolph. She can make fun of glamour while still being glamourous herself, playing the clown and goddess at the same time. Plus, a wholly unexpected pairing like Tilda and Maya is so wrong it's right.
Tilda herself - As Hail, Casear! showed us, two Tilda's is better than one. And you know if she wasn't already playing Mame, you'd want her to be Vera. In fact, let her go full Alec Guinness in Kind Hearts and Coronets and play everyone.
Do you have any fun ideas of who to pair with Tilda?
Reader Comments (29)
Emma Thompson would be ideal but if not her Lindsay Duncan or Miranda Richardson.
Well this new version would actually be a new adaptation of the book, not the film and it will be set in the present too. Frances McDormand!
This would be the perfect opportunity for Paget Brewster to bust out her Nora Charles riff she's been doing for "Thrilling Adventure Hour", except they said this "Mame" would be present-day...
Can today be any greater huh? A BIG YAS TO THIS!
All of the suggestions above are fabulous, darlings.
However, I am suggesting another Supporting Actress Oscar winner for this role, Catherine Zeta Jones. She needs to be in more movies and this could be a real comeback for her.
I imagine a modern-day adaptation of Auntie Mame, if set in New York like the original, would be kinda depressing, since the original depicts a very specific Manhattan time and milieu that we now think of as a golden age.
The "original" Vera Charleses (on Broadway and screen) were in their early-to-mid-40s, so I'd suggest Kristen Wiig or Kathryn Hahn.
Yes, the modern-day setting, if true, is a puzzler. There's certainly something to be said for Mame as symbol of frivolity and escapism in 2016, but it's hard to figure out exactly what she'd be rebelling against - what "society", what values?
I'm also way ahead of myself wondering studio/budget range - this feels like a big studio comedy, but I'll gently suggest that the property/star power is maybe more niche than most are investing in these days.
The fact that Hollywood has talked about remaking this so many times is an indicator that maybe it shouldn't happen...much like the awful recent "updated" remake of "The Women."
Lotsa great suggestions...how bout Toni Collette!
PS: How the hell did Rosalind not win the Oscar...Hayward's terrible win still sticks in my craw. Blech.
I really think Cate Blanchett would have be absolutely fabulous as Vera. I am confused though how they will write some of the themes in today's context. I love the Russell version and only hope they do it justice (I still have nightmares about the Lucille Ball version, although Bea Arthur stole the show).
My immediate thoughts went to Mo'Nique because why not? Then I also considered Laura Linney. Both actresses would be a treat to see on screen again soon, and with Tilda I'm sure the results would be transfixing if nothing else.
To go toe-to-toe with Tilda, I'd cast my vote for someone regal and commanding...Angela Bassett?
Allison Janney / Anjelica Huston / S Epatha Merkerson / Glenn Close / Jennifer Tilly / Kathy Bates
Helena Bonham-Carter / Uma Thurman / Michelle Pfeiffer / Sigourney Weaver / Jenifer Lewis
Jessica Chastain / Nicole Kidman
Always happy to see someone praise Sarah Paulson's brilliant work in Down With Love!
Kathryn Hahn makes sense to me for this. Though how about Minnie Driver? Or Judy Greer or Parker Posey?
Is Sigourney too old.Maybe Joan Cusack.Meg Ryan,Bullock or maybe Midler.
I rather cast an older actress than a younger one. Chastain was the only starlet I would feel safe in a role too old for her.
I waited and waited and no one (not even me in my first comment) has suggested Audra McDonald or Jane Krakowski, both fairly obvious and in the right age group.
For some reason (perhaps it's the DNC), I'm thinking Eva Longoria (who has fabulous timing) would have an unexpected chemistry with Tilda.
You need someone who can just DRIP sarcasm. While I continue to contemplate the question, can I just say that the first person who came to mind? Iif they wanted to make it a modern update......couldn't you just imagine Ralph Fiennes? Combine his roles in 'Grand Budapest' and 'Hail, Caesar' and let him crank it up a few notches, plus he has great chemistry with Tilda.
@ Gian
What a great idea! (But as soon as I read it, this image popped into my head of Tilda trading barbs with Eva Green...)
Marcia Gay Harden
Peggy Sue and brookesboy - I LOVE those ideas!
If they go back to the original book...Mame is a much tougher meaner funnier sexier dame...
I would make a very biased choice and say Rose Byrne for Vera because her performance in Spy was bitchy comedic perfection. But I'd also go with someone like Cate Blanchett (which would be actressing heaven), Naomi Watts, or Angela Bassett. Eva Mendes would even be an out of the box choice. After Place Beyond The Pines, she deserves a great role.
Yes.....Vera Charles...........but what abt Miss Agnes Gooch!!! It was another goldmine role!!...Peggy Cass won the Tony and nabbed an Oscar & GG nom for her breathru' role!!
Parker Posey first came to mind (channeling her bitch turn in Will & Grace), closely followed by Cate Blanchett. I like the suggestion of Naomi Watts, too -- she had wonderful comic timing in I ❤️ Huckabees.
I'm all in for Annette Bening on this one.
I also just another thought of suggestion: Sandra Oh. She hasn't really been on film world's radar in a while and I think it's time she had a good role to really sink her teeth into.
One of the Davis Sisters: Judy, Essie, or Viola.
Megan Mullally, Kristin Wiig for Agnes or Vera
Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman or Carlize Theron could be great because they are statuesque and stunning women as well as great actresses.