Time for a casting roundup now, with three actresses finding themselves new projects.
The first concerns Rosario Dawson: fresh off of what was essentially the lead role in Danny Boyle’s “Trance,” and who’s in talks to star alongside Chris Rock in an untitled comedy (which last we heard was called “Finally Famous”) written by the comedian himself, who will also direct. Scott Rudin and Barry Diller will produce the New York-set “edgy showbiz-themed comedy with romance,” and Dawson is in line to play the female lead. The previous synopsis for the film mentioned two female characters, a popular reality star whom Rock’s character is engaged to and a female reporter for the New Yorker who interviews him. We’re going to go ahead and assume that Dawson is in line for the latter, with filming due to get underway in June.
Coming off of her second Oscar nomination, Aussie Jacki Weaver has to be the most in-demand actress of her age in the business. In the past year she’s been seen in “The Five Year Engagement,” “Silver Linings Playbook” and “Stoker,” and now she’s adding another interesting project to her already busy upcoming schedule. She’ll join an impressive cast that boasts Ryan Reynolds, Anna Kendrick and Gemma Arterton on “Persepolis” director Marjane Satrapi’s “The Voices,” which has already started shooting in Berlin. No details on what Weaver’s role might be, but the film sounds a little bonkers with Reynolds’ lead character as a bathtub factory worker who hears voices from his good dog and evil cat. Count us in.
And finally, Jennifer Garner, who by now seems very much at home working on mainstream family fare, is in talks to join Steve Carell in Disney’s adaptation of the classic children’s book “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day.” Shawn Levy and Dan Levine are producing, while Miguel Arteta is directing after having taken over those duties from Lisa Cholodenko. Carell is playing the titular character’s father, and unsurprisingly Garner is in line to play his mother. Carell’s been on board with this project from the very beginning, and it now looks like the pieces are falling into place with a fall start for the movie planned.