Monday, August 27, 2012

Sam Shepard in talks to play Meryl's husband in "August: Osage County"

The weekly revelations continue.  Variety is reporting that Sam Shepard is in talks to star alongside Meryl in the upcoming film August: Osage County.  Shepard would play Beverly Weston, the alcoholic family patriarch whose disappearance and ultimate death are the impetus for a tumultuous family gathering around which the story unfolds.  When I saw this news, the first thing I thought was "he's too young."  Turns out the man is 68.  I was thinking late 50's but then I remembered him starring in The Pelican Brief which I knew was in 1994 and figured he had to be at least mid 40's then.  It's interesting that in Pelican Brief he played Julia Roberts's boyfriend, and in August, he'll be her father.   Managing Beverly shouldn't be too much of a stretch for him, as in Pelican Brief his character was an alcoholic professor.  

This will be his third film with Julia.  How can we forget him as Dolly Parton's deadbeat husband Spud in Steel Magnolias?  With his nomination for 1984's The Right Stuff, Shepard would also make it six Academy Award nominees in the cast so far.  I'm going to continue to include Tom Wilkinson as "speculated" along with Shepard, but with the proximity of this news to the start of filming, I figure it's similar to Juliette Lewis over Andrea Riseborough.

I have to say that although Sam Shepard's character would technically be Benedict Cumberbatch's character's father, Chris Cooper (who plays his apparent father) looks more like Cumberbatch.  What do we think?


Shepard
 
Cumberbatch

Cooper

I don't know.   I suppose that isn't the the filmmakers' biggest priority.  Below you can see the current list as of tonight.  Ivy is still by far the heaviest role yet to be announced.  I'm not particularly suprised that they're either waiting on revealing it, or having trouble narrowing it down.  She's the most complex of the three sisters.

Violet Weston: Meryl Streep (confirmed)
Barbara Fordham: Julia Roberts (confirmed)
Charlie Aiken: Chris Cooper (confirmed)
Karen Weston: Juliette Lewis (confirmed)
Jean Fordham: Abigail Breslin (confirmed)
Beverly Weston: Tom Wilkinson (speculated, but I doubt it)
                            Sam Shepard (speculated, but likely to be confirmed)
Ivy Weston: Amy Adams (speculated, but again, I doubt it)
Mattie Fae Aiken: Margo Martindale (confirmed)
Steve Heidebrecht: Dermot Mulroney (confirmed)
Little Charles Aiken: Benedict Cumberbatch (speculated, but likely to be confirmed)

Roles yet to be (technically) confirmed:

Beverly
Little Charles (I've put this back in for the time being but I'm confident Cumberbatch is our man)
Ivy
Bill
Johnna
Sheriff Deon





7 comments:

  1. Jeff, wow Sam Shephard as Beverly. Think it's a good choice even though my personal choice was Jack Nicholson. Def think there's about 4 actresses up for Ivy. They are going to make us wait lol 4 weeks till filming begins. Ken

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    1. Any thoughts on the four actresses up for Ivy?

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  2. I think so too. Cumberbatch is our man.

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  3. Jeff, Looks to be like the finalists are Mary Louise Parker, Sandra Bullack,Kate Winslet and Amy Adams. I know you might not think Amy will get it but she could. Anyways there's Bill to be cast as well maybe Mark ruffalo. Ken

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    1. Sandra Bullock in this role would make my skin crawl. Adams would be too young, as would Winslet (but not by much) but I think they could feasibly just have Ivy be the youngest daughter if they really wanted Adams. Mary Louise Parker is an amazing actress although a little older than Ivy, and particularly Cumberbatch, who would be her love interest.

      Bottom line, I think Winlet is functionally the best option here. I just feel it might be too small a part for her these days. So excited to find out!!!

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  4. I think Ivy will be cast by a lower profile actress such as Amy Ryan or Rachel Griffiths.

    Parker is too old
    Bullock is too old
    Adams is too young
    winslet is too young

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  5. You may just be right about that. With so many huge names already, the role of Ivy could be a huge breakout role for a lesser known actress.

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