Wish list entry #14: "The Emperor of Gladness"

This past winter I happened to come across Abraham Verghese's novel, The Covenant of Water. I read it and, while long, I was quite taken by its scope, detail, and the believable humanity showcased in its characters. Oprah had chosen it for her book club, and I enjoyed the book so much that I ended up watching the videos of the podcast she and Verghese did together. It was likely from this viewing that the YouTube algorithm then put to the top of my suggestion list the video of Oprah's May book club entry, Ocean Vong's second novel, The Emperor of Gladness. 

Watching that video, it became clear that the story involved an elderly woman who, at the beginning of the novel, prevents the main character, Hai, from committing suicide by stopping him from jumping off a bridge in Gladness, CT. This woman, Grazina, is a Lithuanian immigrant in her early 80s, and living in relative poverty as she descends more deeply into dementia. Hai, himself a young immigrant from Vietnam, ends up serving as the caregiver for Grazina in her home. The two form an unlikely bond which, along with Hai's co-workers in a semi-fast food restaurant called "Home Market", covers the landscape of a what many reviewers have called the theme of found family. 

So, more on Grazina as a character. As the story takes place around 2011, Grazina recalls memories during World War II back in Lithuania, including confused, hallucination-like experiences of being entrenched in precarious scenarios of either battle or escape. Hai finds ways to sort of go along with this in order to redirect Grazina back to present day and either lucidity or sleep. There would be some interesting and challenging scenes for anyone who played Grazina in these states. The combination of illness and medication effect would almost require a sort of acting within the acting for any performer. It reminds me a bit of Violet Weston, and how Meryl has commented in interviews of how she was interested in what Violet's place was at any given moment in her pain cycle, and how that and the effect of drugs/medications would essentially define her mood. 

Grazina would likely be a lead character, as a good portion of the book is her interactions between her and Hai. There is also a heartbreaking series of scenes with her son and her son's family, which may be an indictment of American values as it pertains to caring for our elders. Hai is of course at the center of the story, and would likely be played by a twenty-something actor of Vietnamese descent. This role in itself would be a wonderful opportunity for any young performer, as would the gaggle of characters who would make up Hai's coworkers at Home Market. 

What would be the plausibility of this coming to fruition? Maybe low likelihood, but with the novel's visibility from it having been an Oprah book selection, as well as the fact that it has some enticing elements (strained family ties, themes related to the opioid epidemic, the aforementioned state of elder care) and roles for underrepresented characters (immigrants, Asian-Americans, gay characters, women over 70). As mentioned, Grazina is in her early 80s, so it may not be as likely for Meryl to do it like next year (and edit: I failed to mention when this went to post that I picture it working best as a limited series). But realistically, as long as it were clear that the story takes place in the early 2010s, she could do it anytime. It is far from a glamorous role, so I think Meryl would relish the transformation. And lord knows I'm a sucker for a new accent! 

P.S. Remember when Meryl sort of offhandedly mentioned at Cannes last year that she had just bought the rights to something that was in development? Yes, this was a full year before Gladness was even published, and I feel like there would have been something announced by now (especially with the Oprah interviews with Vuong), but sometimes there's buzz about new novels, the rights to which could be snatched up early. Regardless, maybe at the very least Meryl has her eye out for great stories that are ripe for the plucking. 

Let's keep our eyes on this one. 

Wish list #13: Madeleine Albright

While it's been fun to see Meryl out and about as of late (I'll wait to post until we get a high-quality video of her presenting at Nicole Kidman's AFI tribute), we Streepers continue to mourn the dearth of screen projects in the pipeline. Yes, we have the fourth season of Only Murders in the Building coming up later this year, but that's pretty small potatoes when considering the heft of projects we're used to getting from her. Speculations on whether or not she's semi or fully retiring abound. I'm in the camp of believing that she's very likely going to continue to act, and that she's simply waiting on her next project to get underway and to be announced. So, in the meantime, I'll continue to post about Meryl's roles that only live in my head. One of these days we'll all get pleasantly surprised when she ends up being announced in something I or we have predicted, sort of like The Post. 

In early 2022, I posted a series of six suggestions of adaptations of novels that I thought would be reasonable fits for Meryl to star. Around that time, I also posted a poll of whom readers would most like to see Meryl portray in a biopic. Eleanor Roosevelt, Greta Garbo, and Jane Goodall were the top three. While any of those would be wonderful, I'm adding another to the list. 

A few months ago, I read a book about people who grew up in North Korea, some who eventually escaped (Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea). I followed that with Madeleine Albright's memoir Madam Secretary. I was interested in the latter primarily because of Albright's visit to North Korea in the last year of her tenure as the first female Secretary of State of the United States. Albright was around 63 during the visit, but pictures suggest that Meryl would likely have no issue believably portraying her if a project came together within the next few years. 

Albright with North Korean leader, Kim Jong Il

Albright was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia, and emigrated to the U.S. with her family when she was 11. With a life and career as long as hers, I think it would be interesting to focus on a specific period, like the one in 2000 where she went to North Korea on a state visit. It's often difficult for me to believe that societies like North Korea still exist. It's rarely depicted in media and onscreen, and it would be a fascinating event to depict. Just the scene where they held a welcome spectacle in a stadium that fit 100,000 people would be an incredible scene to create. 

I find it interesting to consider the possibility that if Donald Trump is frighteningly reelected this November, a film depicting a woman diplomat visiting a dictatorship would have it's own sort of chilling parallel to our times. That is, after all, what Trump aspires to...being a "supreme leader" in the vein of tyrants like Kim and Trump's role model, old Vlad Putin. 

Albright is in her own right a sometimes divisive and controversial figure (military tactics, religion, her role and comments during the Kosovo War). But a biopic is never interesting if you're depicting someone who was perfect. I, for one, would be the first in line to buy a ticket to see Streep in a film tackling all of Albrights strengths and weaknesses. Who else is better at getting to the heart of someone's humanity than Meryl? 

Wish list entry #12: "Broken for You"

This will be the last (for a while, at least) of several recent novel suggestions I've suggested could make great adaptations for Meryl. Stephanie Kallos' 's debut 2005 novel, Broken for You seems a tale ripe for a limited series. I say that because it's a reasonably long book, which would give ample story to cover six to eight episodes. 

One of the two main characters is Margaret Hughes, a 70-something wealthy divorcée living alone in a mansion in Seattle. Spoilers ahead. She's gotten a diagnosis of brain cancer and ends up taking in a boarder, Wanda Schultz, a young woman who's sort of obsessively trying to track down her ex boyfriend. The two develop a friendship which ends up changing them both in profound, but different ways. 

Margaret houses countless expensive antiques, which turn out to be items that were taken from Jewish families during WWII by Margaret's businessman father. Despite her many attempts to locate the owners of all the antiques, she's been unsuccessful, and harbors strong guilt around possessing them. Wanda is employed in the theater and has an artistic background. Events unfold where she ends up making enormous mosaic artworks out of the antique items, which get a lot of attention from the press...mostly very good, some controversial. But it ends up being a way for Wanda to work through the pain of parental and partner abandonment, and for Margaret to somehow do right by the families she's been unable to reach. Fun connection at the end is that Wanda's father, who'd left when she was a child to search for her mother, ends up befriending an old Jewish lady who possessed a small item that was part of an antique set in Margaret's possession. He ends up getting connected with Margaret after his friend dies and leaves the antique to him, and of course, he and Wanda get reunited. 

I thought it was a pretty good book with nicely drawn-out characters. Margaret and Wanda definitely feel like co-leads if they were to be portrayed similarly to the way they were in the book. It may seem a bit "been there done that" when one reads that the would-be Meryl character is suffering from cancer, but I'd argue it's not quite the same way we've seen from her before in the case of One True Thing, for example. I think the people you have around you, what you leave behind, and what secrets or regrets you may have greatly shapes people's experiences and approaches when faced with the real possibility of death. Margaret is in a very different position than Kate Gulden. And while not a mother (anymore--additional background that her son died tragically quite young), the stakes are perhaps higher in her their own, unique way. 

I suppose the story could work as a feature film as well. I just tend to think longer books with a lot of moving parts that span decades of experience are so often better suited for a limited series. The medium is a much more respected and highly-financed option that even fifteen years ago, and it also provides more time for us to enjoy our favorites onscreen. 

We (and Meryl, more importantly) have options out there, people! On this blog I've suggested adaptations of The Testament of Mary, The Buried Giant, Without Blood, The Cypress Club, State of Terror, State of Wonder, Celine, All Adults Here, and Broken for You. A couple have been optioned, non have been casted. With no official news on any upcoming filming projects, how fun would it be if one of her next came from the above list? 

Patiently waiting. 

Wish list entry #11: "All Adults Here"

I continue with what will be my penultimate wish list entry (for the time being) of a character from a contemporary novel. Last year, I had the pleasure of enjoying Emma Straub's All Adults Here. I'm pretty sure that at the time I was drawn to it for the very reason I've recently picked up a handful of other books. It's got a role for Meryl! And I'll mention off the bat that it, like State of Wonder, has already been optioned for a (likely limited) television series. 

Quick summary. The main character, 68 year-old Astrid Strick witnesses the death of an acquaintance, Barbara, when Barbara is hit by a school bus. Astrid wasn't particularly fond of Barbara, but her death sparks questions in Astrid, as she begins to think back on the upbringing of her now three grown children, Elliot, Porter, and Nicky. The same day of Barbara's death, Nicky's daughter Cecelia comes to live with Astrid, after she's bullied at school for "snitching" on a friend who ended up in a potentially dangerous sexual scenario with an adult the friend met online. Fun twist: Astrid, a widow, has been secretly dating her long-time hairdresser, Birdie. Astrid comes out to her kids as bisexual, and the book continues with an unweaving of preconceptions, misconceptions, and finally, some reconnections. 

It's interesting if one looks at the Goodreads synopsis of this book that it is super centered on Astrid. Yes, she's the main character, but the lives of the kids and the granddaughter are all pretty well drawn, with lots of individual focus. While that may be an attribute to the book on the whole, it might draw away from Astrid as the central character a bit, at least as it might concern her depiction on screen. That said, were this project to come to fruition, and if Meryl were somehow cast, she would unquestionably receive top billing and the classification of "lead." It was only announced as being optioned in July 2020, so it's not so long ago to think it's necessarily in development hell. It'll be interesting to see if it ever gets greenlit. Could be a good project. 

Wish list entry #10 : "Celine"

I'm continuing with my "wish list" entries with the latest book I've read depicting a character whom I think would be interesting to see Meryl portray. Peter Heller's 2017 novel, Celine is one of a few recent stories out there I've been able to find that depicts a woman protagonist who happens to be nearing 70. And not only that, she's a working private eye. 

Full disclosure, I wasn't a huge fan of the book as a whole. I won't get too much into a critique, but I was hoping for it to be a little more introspective on the part of the main character and a little less heavy on plot and or scene-descriptions. Just a matter of preference I guess, but it also affords anyone who wishes to bring it to the screen a great opportunity to more fruitfully imagine these characters. 

The book takes place not long after 9/11, where Celine Watkins, a French-born New York sophisticate is hired to find a woman's father who was presumed to have been killed by a grizzly bear years earlier. Celine is joined by her husband as they make the trek to the Rockies to start uncovering the complicated history of their subject and his daughter. Along the way we get to learn of Celine's own complicated past. Her family's escape from France during World War II. The tumultuous relationship with her father. Her two sisters' deaths. The baby she had to give up for adoption when she was very young and in a boarding school. All these pieces are ripe for a screen adaptation that I think would be best as a limited series. Picture something like Mare of Eastown with better clothes and older detectives. 

Celine is also a former heavy smoker, whose current emphysema makes all the physical work (especially in high altitudes) particularly arduous and dangerous. She has an affinity for guns and animal skulls, and is intimidatingly intelligent to most people she encounters. I had a hard time telling if Celine would've had an accent. It's never explicitly stated, but my initial thought was that if someone only spoke French until the time they were around 7 (which is what's described in the book, if memory serves), and then is immersed in an English-speaking country, I'd expect that person to grow up without much of an accent. I've read that after 11 or 12, it's tougher for folks to lose their accents. But Celine and her sisters are described as having only spoken French for quite a while after arriving in the United States, as they formed a bit of a sisterly posse, likely a self-preservation kind of sibling blanket. Everyone knows how much I love Meryl serving up a great new accent, so even if Celine wouldn't have had one, they could always adjust the character's age at the time she came over on the boat to give her a hint of a French sound. 

When comparing this story to Ann Patchett's State of Wonder, Celine I think would provide a more interesting individual character, while the latter's story is much more compelling and crisp. I haven't been able to find anything out there that suggests Heller's novel has been optioned. Maybe this can be a chance for Meryl to step up her producing game and purchase the rights! 

Wish list entry #9: "State of Wonder"

A few weeks ago I finished Ann Patchett's 2011 novel, State of Wonder. It is the first of several I've recently selected which showcase a character whom I expect would be an interesting role for Meryl to portray onscreen. Warning that there are spoilers ahead. 

The story follows a woman named Marina (who is not the Meryl character), a physician in Minnesota who is tasked with tracking down her one-time mentor in the Amazon rainforest. One of her colleagues had previously been sent not long prior, but he ended up mysteriously dying. Her mentor, Dr. Annick Swenson (the Meryl character), has spent the better part of the last few decades in Brazil, working on a drug that allows women to become pregnant well into their seventies. First spoiler: the tribe that Dr. Swenson studies to develop her drug also has immunity to malaria. Marina works for a big pharmaceutical company, so this is a big deal. Second spoiler: Dr. Swenson, a woman in her early seventies, is pregnant. 

Just the plot points aren't necessarily enough to make for an interesting project. My guess is that Dr. Swenson would technically be a supporting character. But knowing how central she is to the story and action, particularly in the latter half of the book, someone with Meryl's star power might be able to snag a co-lead type of categorization. The character is a brilliant, decisive woman (nothing new to Meryl's roles there). But there's a certain subtlety and mystery around her, partly due to the fact that she never had children and now that she's pregnant so late in life (third spoiler: Dr. Swenson realizes the fetus has died inside her around the third trimester and she wants Marina to deliver it) there are a lot of interesting moral and ethical questions the reader can't help but consider. Dr. Swenson is also a rather pragmatic person and physician, something one might expect for anyone surviving in the jungle. This practicality she exudes contributes to the tricky questions that arise, and it's the type of nuanced and "difficult" character and story that I think usually catches Meryl's eye. It also doesn't brush over the physical ravages of age, despite how physically capable Dr. Swenson is and is required to be. And the character gets to speak a touch of Portuguese and the eponymous language of the (fictional) indigenous Lakashi people. 

What's interesting in researching this book was that it was optioned for a limited series back in 2018. A year later, director William Oldroyd (Lady Macbeth starring Florence Pugh and the upcoming Eileen starring Ann Hathaway) became attached. The screenplay started work around the time as well apparently, only for Covid to hit nine months later. I have no idea if Covid was indeed a factor in this not yet having any casting or further production news, but it's certainly a reasonable possibility for why it has not come to fruition, and why it's not crazy to think it still may. 

It would be a great lead role for a forty-something woman of Indian descent (Marina has both Indian and Norwegian heritage). And it takes place in the Amazon, a setting that is different than any Meryl has shot in. This last part might actually be a barrier to Streep taking the part were she offered it, knowing that she's been open about not liking being hot and sweaty. Although, she had a bit of that shooting in the swamp for Adaptation, so if the role is right, she may just try something new. Considering the dearth of casting news we've had for her over the last year, I would not be shocked if Streep's attachment would be the final boost the producers would need for that final green light necessary to get filming underway. 

Wish list entry #8: "Without Blood"

As I'd recently mentioned I was going to do, I'll be posting a handful of wish list entries in the coming months. My previous entries have mostly been biopic suggestions, including a recent poll opining on whom would be the best real person for Meryl to portray. The upcoming selections I make are going to be adaptations of fictional characters. At this point in Meryl's career, it's going to be more and more difficult to expect lead roles from either original screenplays or adaptations of novels or plays that depict interesting and complex characters in her demographic. Places, Please seems like it would be one (whatever the hell happened to that). The Good House would've been one, but that film is lingering in distribution hell despite good reviews for the film and great ones for Sigourney Weaver. I've taken it upon myself to make a list of and then read novels that depict lead characters that could reasonably be portrayed by Meryl in the coming years. And although I've definitely posted more than eight times in this particular tag, I'm numbering this one because I have a specific title in mind. 

What's kind of weird is that I finished a book this weekend and had planned to write about it today. This morning, however, I came across some news from a couple days ago, in which Angelina Jolie signed a three-year deal with Fremantle, with her first project to be an adaptation of Alessandro Baricco's novella, Without Blood. Jolie was slated to direct the film as far back as 2017, at which time I had read the book, thinking based on the description that it could contain a juicy role. I actually had to do a quick search on the blog to see if I had posted about it back then, as it was definitely something I remember thinking about for Meryl. 

Fast forward to today, and Jolie is going to begin filming in Italy in May. A quick idea of the story with spoilers: a four year-old girl is hidden while her father and other family members are killed sometime possibly around the time of the Spanish Civil War. One of the killers spots her but doesn't give her away. Many many years later (I've seen mentions of fifty years, sixty years, or simply "later as an old woman" to describe how much later..because I don't remember exactly), the woman, Nina, spots the the man who let her go and she invites him to a chat at a cafe. It's got a revenge aspect to it, as we learn that the other killers were systematically murdered over the years, but we don't know the extent of Nina's involvement, no what she has planned for this last guy. It's an intense story with the kind of uncertain moral questions that I suspect Meryl would be drawn to in the character. I don't think it's ever explicitly stated where the story physically takes place at the start. But if memory serves, the later scenes take place in an English-speaking country(?), which opens the possible opportunity for English dialogue from a Spanish-speaking character (y'all know how much I love a new accent from Meryl). 

I can see a few barriers to Meryl being cast in this role. If they do end up having Nina be in her early to mid 50s, then Meryl will likely be out of the running. The last killer, Tito, is supposed to be sixteen years older. But he, too, is described as an old man, and they can always fluff these numbers a bit if they have certain people in mind for the characters in a film version. They also might want to cast a Spanish or Italian actress, if indeed they're planning on portraying Nina as one or the other. I also wonder, if Meryl were somehow to be involved and that it's already going to film in two months, that we wouldn't have heard that her name was attached. Although that wasn't the cast with Don't Look Up, as Meryl was announced as joining well after it was announced the film was going to be made and other actors had already been revealed. 

There were rumors seven years ago round this time that Streep was going to portray Mary Leakey in a bipoic of Robert Leakey (to star Jolie's then-husband, Brad Pitt), entitled simply Africa. That project fell apart, but if there was any truth to that rumor, then obviously Meryl and Angelina had some semblance of a professional connection beyond attending awards shows at the same time. 

The articles from this weekend suggested that there would be more info on Without Blood's production coming up in the near future, which I expect has to include casting news. With how barren Meryl's schedule seems to be at the moment, aside form some reservations I have with Jolie's body of directing work, wouldn't this be a fun addition to her body of work?

Will Meryl be cast in the upcoming screen adaptation of Hillary Clinton's novel?

Late last week, multiple sources announced that Hillary Clinton's recent novel, State of Terror, has been acquired for development into a feature film. I have to admit that I wasn't even aware Clinton had published a novel. But she has, it's gotten strong reviews, and now it's being executive produced by Clinton and her co-author, Louise Penny, along with Clinton's production company HiddenLight Productions and Gigi Pritzker's Madison Wells. A short blurb from the article: 

"This high-stakes thriller of international intrigue follows novice Secretary of State Ellen Adams, who is unexpectedly brought into the administration by a newly-elected President, her political and personal adversary. Events soon erupt that sweep her into a world of global intrigue and diplomacy where the stakes could not be higher and the potential consequences, both personal and global, could not be greater."

It's not hard to figure out where Clinton got her inspiration for the story. And it seems like it could be a juicy role for a woman over 50. In one description I read, they described Ellen as "middle-aged," but the character also has an adult daughter who now runs her media empire. Any concern of Streep potentially being too old for the part might not be a huge problem. Clinton was 65 when she left the office of Secretary of State in 2017. Meryl, even if the film were not to shoot for another two years (I have not even seen a screenwriter attached at this point), would be close to 75. Still doable, as she can easily play parts ten years younger. While not a true biopic, this project wouldn't be completely unlike when she filmed The Devil Wears Prada, a story adapted from a novel, which in turn was loosely based on real people. 

It would be an intriguing character, and the kind of political story Meryl has occasion to involve herself with. She and Clinton are friends (or at least friendly), so I can't imagine her name won't at least come up in the casting conversation, if it hasn't already. Places, Please was announced one year ago this coming Friday, with zero follow up info on the film's status since. Without any other projects confirmed or rumored, I'll be doing a lot of speculating in the coming weeks/months about possible projects. I would be thrilled if we learn that Places, Please is set to film this spring with a late 2022 release. Then we'll maybe get casting news on State of Terror sometime later this year. And if we throw in a true biopic (see any of the amazing options from Poll #13), that's an original screenplay, a novel adaptation, and a biopic all in a row in lead parts. 

Let the powers that be get to work! 

My debut novel, "The Cypress Club"

Four years ago, I decided "for fun" to begin writing a work of fiction. I'd toyed with the idea for a while, having maintained this blog for close to six years by that point. There's no question I'd been influenced by my staunch attention to Meryl's film career, and to the characters she so poignantly portrayed. It was with this fascination that I set out on what I first expected to be a short story. Fast forward to today, and I'm thrilled to share that I've published my first novel, The Cypress Club. 

I'm sharing it on my blog because (aside from it being a great venue to shamelessly plug the book), like so many other stories on which I've speculated over the years, The Cypress Club includes a main character whom I'd love to see portrayed onscreen. Having dissected so many of Meryl and her contemporaries' performances over the past decade, I feel like I was armed with an understanding of how to portray a believable character from a certain generation. Betsy was fun to write about, as was the setting that surrounds her and the rest of her family. A brief synopsis:

Ben Apt has given up on the relationship his mother, Betsy, has never allowed them to have. School, career, his choice in boyfriends--she's always found an excuse to pull away. Pushed to reconcile by a deathbed request from his beloved grandmother, Ben accepts an invitation to visit his parents for their fortieth anniversary party. Destination: their new retirement home in the tony Cypress Club community of Palm Beach. 

Ben's efforts to reconnect are quickly tested when Betsy greets him. She's gone platinum. Her face looks. . . new. And instead of hashing things out with her son, she spends the weekend going to deceptive lengths to impress the other nouveau-riche Boomers in residence--whose greatest concern is where to enjoy a mimosa-soaked brunch after their first eighteen holes. 

As Ben struggles to navigate the minefield of the club's peculiar culture, greater secrets are revealed, until he's no longer sure whether reconciling with his mother will provide the peace he'd been seeking, or only serve to destroy the Apt family completely. 

The Cypress Club is by turns funny, irreverent, and heartbreaking. An often-satirical tale that explores the painful prospect of severing ties with a parent and invites readers to rethink what it means to live the American dream.

I'm not ashamed to admit that an early driving motivation to continue the drudgery required to actually complete, edit, and revise a novel was helped by the fantasy of it getting optioned for a film. If you can't dream it, no way it'll happen, right? That idea sort of waned as I got further into the process, and I was able to simply enjoy the craft, and the fun of daydreaming. Through all the work, I've gained a better understanding of how to go about writing quality future stories (which I've already begun). It's been a rewarding process beyond my expectations. I hope folks feel inclined to take a look. 

The novel is currently available pretty much anywhere books are sold online, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Target, and many more. Enjoy. 

Wish list entry #7: Márta Károlyi

Last week, it was announced that Olivia Wilde has been tapped to direct an adaptation of gymnast Kerri Strug's memoir, Perfect. As a huge fan of Olympic gymnastics, it got me thinking about team U.S.A. and the 1996 games in Atlanta. I had become a huge fan as early as 1991, after Kim Zmeskal won the World Championships in Indianapolis, and was glued to the TV whenever events came on leading up to Barcelona in '92.

Always looming behind the scenes in any competition were Béla and Márta Károlyi, the Romanian-American husband-wife team who had coached both Nadia Comăneci and Mary Lou Retton to Olympic gold. To me, they'd always seemed like the epitome of people at the top of their field, and with their prestigious training camp in Houston, were the envy of gymnastics clubs throughout the country.

Cut to present day, the Károlyis have had a bit of a fall from grace. Following the conviction of team U.S.A. doctor Larry Nassar for multiple counts of sexual misconduct, investigations into the Károlyi training center have resulted in lawsuits against the couple, claiming they turned a blind eye to the awful assaults. Others came out of the woodwork to also claim instances of physical abuse at the hands of the Károlyis. Their training facility has since been shut down.

Doesn't this seem totally ripe for a film version of the events? Perfect doesn't necessarily seem like it's going to specifically cover the investigations, rather Strug's experiences leading up to the famous vault where she injured her ankle in securing gold for her team. While that may be a worthy story (it seems a bit sugary to me on the surface--but some who've read the script say it's more akin to Whiplash), I think it would be vastly more interesting to produce a movie that focuses mainly on the Károlyis. Perhaps an adaptation of Dominique Moceanu's book about her life inside the Károlyi camp instead?

Who knows, maybe Wilde's film will actually have a juicy supporting part for Márta. If so, I'm sure Meryl would be great at showcasing the complexity of this elusive, if now somewhat infamous, woman.

Will Meryl star in a 2018 Black List script?

Two out the last three years, when the Hollywood "Black List" of top unproduced scripts was announced, I posted about any I thought might be a good fit for Meryl. In 2015, Nyad struck a major chord, while a year later, a little film called The Post caught my eye.

Still waiting on Nyad, and 2017's The Post of course earned Meryl her 21st Oscar nomination.  In 2017's list, there were zero script tags that stuck out as viable options for Meryl to star in a lead role. Unfortunately, this year looks to be the same.

Yesterday, the 2018 Black List was revealed to multiple sources lauding how around 40% of the stories centered around women. In itself this is great, but having searched the list, I can't say I read a single screenplay description that involved women of a certain age; namely women over 50.

This sort of makes it tough for Meryl to be a potential participant. Certainly some of the scripts mentioned don't have a lot of plot details, so there could be something out there role-wise, but it's pretty "slim pickins."

I guess we'll just have to rely on other sources (at least for the next year)!

Wish list entry #6: "The Buried Giant"

It's certainly been a while since I've devoted a single post to a literary character I'd like to see Meryl portray. If you've regularly read this blog, you know of my obsession with whether or not she was ever going to get to play Hildy Good in an adaptation of Ann Leary's bestselling 2013 novel, The Good House. The proverbial ship has seemingly sailed on that one, and not since 2012 have I suggested a completely original character from the world of fiction.

I honestly don't know what got me thinking about it, but a couple weeks ago I read a little blurb about  how the rights to Kazuo Ishguro's (known for The Remains of the Day) 2015 novel The Buried Giant had been acquired by producer Scott Rudin shortly after the book's release. There has been little to nothing mentioned about any adaptation since, but it got me thinking more about the characters.

I had read the novel around that time and don't recall any news about a screen adaptation. If I had, I probably would've immediately considered whether or not there had been a part suitable for Meryl (as I always do with stories I enjoy). The more I've thought about it now, one of the main characters, Beatrice, could potentially be a interesting role.

At the time I probably didn't really consider that Meryl would be ripe for an "elderly" woman. But if the story takes place in 6th century England, "elderly" may have been like 50. Also, Meryl will be 70 next year, and juicy parts (not there there will be a lot) for that particular demographic and maybe even slightly beyond will not be out of the question. With that in mind, I've been ruminating about the possibility of seeing Meryl tossed into a world not unlike Game of Thrones or The Lord of the Rings.

I've heard the book described as "melancholy" and I think that's a fair word. Beatrice and her husband Axl go on a foot journey to visit their son in another town. The trouble is, the couple's memories (and those of their community) have become increasingly hazy. They meet several characters along the way, fight illnesses and dragons and are posed with challenges to their love for each other. Themes of collective memory after tragedy or war, cultural identity and age are all explored against the backdrop of a post-Arthurian landscape.

Were the story ever to make it to the screen, I can't help but picture this as a limited series. That increasingly-favored format would be the perfect medium to capture the breadth and depth of the plot, plus build off the popularity of the aforementioned obsession with shows like Game of Thrones (but to a somewhat less violent or ostentatious level). 

I think I'm going to reread the book. Picturing Meryl as one of the main characters will  give the already-enjoyable experience a fun new twist.

The next five years

With filming underway for season 2 of Big Little Lies, I thought I'd do one of my favorite things and post about my wishes/predictions/expectations for Meryl's upcoming filming schedule. Let's jump right in.

We already know that 2018 will bring us two feature films involving Meryl in likely rather small roles: Mama Mia! Here We Go Again July and Mary Poppins Returns in December. It's interesting that both roles are in sequels, something I don't think Meryl has ever done before, nor had I expected her to. But they're not the traditional "this film was good so let's make sure we immediately bank on the first film's success," as Mama Mia! is ten years later, and Mary Poppins over fifty. Big Little Lies is likely to release to HBO first quarter 2019, which leaves us to speculate about what roles will be in her near future.

The only other realistic possibility that has already been announced is the limited series The Nix. Nathan Hill's novel has reportedly been adapted into about nine episodes for television, but it has yet to land a distributor.  Maybe we'll see that come to fruition for filming this summer or early fall, but if J.J. Abrams is expected to direct any of the episodes, he likely won't be available until 2019, as this year he'll be busy on some obscure little indie pic called Star Wars. 

Let's say The Nix does eventually happen but that its filming is postponed to spring/summer 2019. That would likely mean a 2020 release.  Not a bad idea considering its a politically charged story and that will be an election year that is certain to have tensions running high. Call me obsessed, but I've also been thinking lately about how great it would be to see The Good House filmed for television in a limited series a la 2014's Olive Kitteridge on HBO, starring Frances McDormand. It would provide a more thorough delving into the lush character of Hildy Good, without the constraints of the two hour package typically required for film. The story would work nicely as four episodes and if were somehow already planned, could be ripe for filming this fall.

I would expect that a limited series for The Good House would release on television fourth quarter 2019, again like Olive Kitteridge. That brings us to 2019. I've previously posted how great it would be to see Meryl star in Nyad, as marathon swimmer Diana Nyad as she battles to become the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without a shark tank. A summer/fall shooting schedule would be adequate for a summer 2020 release. A handful of Streep films have done very well in that August time slot, which, in 2020 would coincide with the summer Olympics. What better marketing tool to have for an inspirational story about a competitive swimmer?

The following two years could be relatively conventional. A lead role in a Greta Gerwig vehicle for a 2021 release, followed by a sure to be mind-blowing pairing with Jessica Lange as Edith Windsor and Streep as her wife, Thea Spyer.

The whole schedule could look something like this:

2018
Mama Mia! Here We Go Again (July)
Mary Poppins Returns (December)

2019
Big Little Lies (~February)--TV
The Good House (~November)--TV

2020
The Nix (~May)--TV
Nyad (August)

2021
Greta Gerwig project

2022
Edith Windsor/Thea Spyer biopic with Jessica Lange

The proposed timeline would be a delightful combination of lead and supporting roles on television and in film, of biopics, literary adaptations and original stories.

Why not, right?

Wish list entry #5: Clarice Lispector

It has been since March of 2014 that I've made an official entry to this blog section.  What's prompted the update?  Well, over the past several weeks I've been revisiting the list of roles I've kept of characters (whether real people or fictional) I'd love to see Meryl portray.  I have a more specific intention for revisiting this list, but I'm not going to get into that quite yet.  Suffice it to say that I'll be taking on another fairly extensive Meryl project, not unlike my Reimagined Filmography.  More on that in the future.

Having the day off from work yesterday for Independence Day, I found myself doing a deep dive of the "rumored projects" section of the Meryl Streep Forum.   It was a good review of some things I already knew, but there were many roles or potential projects that I had never heard of!  Most of them were indeed simply rumors.  Others turned out to be the real deal.  One role in particular that she was rumored for, based purely on fan speculation, was a biopic of Brazilian author Clarice Lispector.

I had never heard of Lispector prior to yesterday.  Reading that she was Brazilian quickly made me wonder if it would be appropriate for a white person to portray a Brazilian, but Lispector was actually born to Ukrainian parents (in Ukraine) and emigrated to Brazil as an infant.  Of course my mind immediately went to "OMG I wonder what she sounded like?!"  So I promptly went on YouTube and watched a portion of the only television interview she ever did, which took place in January of 1977, less than a year before her death, one day before turning 57.

Why this character?  After reading about her background, life events and personality, and having watched her interview online, she seems like an absolutely fascinating individual.  Leaving post-WWI Ukraine with her family as a baby, growing up Jewish, frighteningly intelligent, possibly mental illness, physical impairment (she suffered severe burns on her right hand after falling asleep with a lit cigarette in 1966), death by ovarian cancer at relatively young age.   Add that to the aforementioned distinct speech she had (one of Meryl's specialties), and it would be very interesting to see on screen.

I couldn't find any info on whether or not she definitively spoke English, but considering she spent a fair amount of time in London and over five years living in the U.S., I imagine she did.  American author Benjamin Moser published an extensive biography on Lispector in 2012 entitled Why This World, which I may just have to check out.  Perhaps I'll get a better idea of how a feature film would've worked out if one were interested in chronicling her later life.

Will Meryl star in a 2016 Black List script?

Happy New Year, everyone!  I know many are thrilled that 2016 is finally over.  With that, we have much to look forward to in 2017 in regard to Meryl projects.  Despite not having any lead film roles confirmed at this point, my powers of speculation remain at full strength.  The first quarter of this year will no doubt be dominated by the awards season and how Streep will fare.  We already get to look forward to this Sunday, where she's nominated for Florence Foster Jenkins at the Golden Globes.  She will also be recognized with the Cecil B. DeMille lifetime achievement award, which truthfully I'm anticipating more than any chance she has at winning for Flo Fo.  BAFTA nominations are announced two days after the Globes ceremony with the Oscar noms coming on the 24th.  January wraps up with the SAG Awards on the 29th, where Meryl again is in the running as Florence.

Little has been mentioned about The Nix in the last couple of months, but I expect that to film sometime third or fourth quarter. Mary Poppins Returns will likely see its scenes wrapped before year's end as well.  Beyond that, the calendar looks pretty barren for our girl.  This provides the opportunity for almost limitless speculation about what may be in store for Meryl.  Last year was the first time I singled out a specific role for her based on the annual Hollywood Blacklist that is released each December.  I maintain that portraying Diana Nyad in a biopic could be a wonderfully challenging role for Meryl, but unfortunately I haven't found a single word about the chances for production of that script since it made the list a year ago.  And as much as it pains me to say it, The Good House may remain in development hell indefinitely.

Which brings me to this year.  When 2016's Blacklist was revealed a few weeks ago, you better believe I immediately combed it for potential projects that could realistically involve Streep.  Similar to last year, my eyes were drawn to a particular spec, which just so happens to sit in a three-way tie for second place with 35 overall votes, behind the Madonna biopic Blond Ambition, which received 48.  Written by Liz Hannah, The Post is an account of the efforts of Ben Bradlee and Katharine (Kay) Graham to publish sensitive information about the United States' involvement in the Vietnam War, known as the Pentagon Papers, in the Washington Post.  The film would take place in 1971 when Graham, the publisher of the newspaper, was about 54 years old.  Yes, this is over a decade younger than Meryl, but a 54 year-old in 1971 in my opinion would be totally do-able for Meryl at 70.

I was lucky enough to read the script over the Christmas holiday.  Obviously I pictured Meryl as Kay the entire time.  It went very quickly, as it is written beautifully, and the story is interesting and at times suspenseful.  This project seems like it would be more likely than Nyad to 1) actually get funded/filmed and 2) involve Meryl.  It's a political thriller-ish story, which happens to be fairly topical for current times.  A story about the White House trying to stifle journalists from publishing damaging (yet true) stories seems eerily similar to what I imagine president-elect Trump will continue to do to newspapers he happens go disagree with.

On October 31, Pascal Pictures purchased the rights to the script, but I've found nothing further that suggests it's anywhere near being greenlit.  One has to wonder if we may hear something within the next few months about whether or not this great story will make it to the screen.  Could this be the 2018 lead role we've been waiting for?

Katharine Graham and Ben Bradlee in 1971

Thinking about Susan B. Anthony

Last night went the opposite of how I had hoped.  Like many this morning I felt sad (still do), disappointed and disturbed by the election of Donald Trump over Hillary Clinton for president of the United States.  Frankly, I'm embarrassed for my country.  In some small way maybe posting about this will provide a bit of catharsis.  I saw a quote earlier today that read something like "it's not the political loss we mourn, it's the loss of humanity."  That kind of sums it up.  Trump presented himself as one of the worst people I've ever seen request my vote.  His policy plans aside (which are ca-razy), he has unfortunately emboldened an undercurrent of racism, sexism, xenophobia and homophobia in our country.  It's 2016.

That said, I'm not rioting in the streets or telling friends on Facebook to delete me if they voted third party.  We get a choice.  And now we have to allow president-elect Trump the opportunity to lead.  My hope is that we'll be as wrong about his presidency as we were about who was going to get elected.  Let's remember that Hillary Clinton still made history.  She was the closest any woman has ever gotten to being president of the U.S.  It's a shame it didn't happen this time (the reasons for which I won't get into), but I'm trying to be practical about it from an historical standpoint.  That got me thinking about Susan B. Anthony, and therefore Meryl, of course.  Yesterday at Anthony's grave in Rochester, New York, the scene was almost that of a pilgrimage site, with thousands paying respects to this pioneer, on a day where many cast their votes for a possible female president for the first time in their lives. I find solace after Clinton's loss in the fact that Anthony worked most of her long life for a result she was never able to enjoy in her lifetime.  Women's suffrage eventually happened though, in large part due to that work.  We won't always win on the first or second, or maybe even third try.  But each loss can serve to further mobilize efforts to continue fighting for what is right.

I'm sure Meryl is bummed today as well.  We know she was a vocal supporter of Clinton during the campaign.  People are now going to be even hungrier to see a woman take the top office in the future.  I certainly hope for Meryl's and everyone's sake that it happens in her lifetime.  Who knows?  Maybe all the fuss over this election cycle will spark interest in finally getting a film adaptation of Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton's work brought to the silver screen, as I've previously wished.  Regardless, starting today I'm sure a lot of us are thinking #ElizabethWarren2020.  Take care of each other, America.

Will Meryl star in a 2015 Black List script?

Hope everyone had a great Christmas (I mean this in the most secular way possible)!  Almost two weeks ago now, Hollywood revealed its annual "Black List" of top unproduced screenplays.  I typically enjoy scrolling down the list to see if there are any that could possibly involve Meryl.  It quickly gets a bit disheartening, as not only do very few films center around women, but even fewer around women over 50.  A couple of scripts caught my eye this year, however, with one in particular that I'm going to obsess over until it's announced that Meryl is starring.

Just for context, the script with the highest number of "mentions" received 44.  At 31, we see Miss Sloane.  I previously discussed this script in September when it was purchased at the Toronto International Film Festival.  Depicting a lobbyist fighting for stricter gun control, I continue to wonder if this is different from The Senator's Wife.  

Next, at 16 mentions is Do No Harm (not to be confused with ...First Do No Harm of course).  Said to be about a surgeon whose life "takes a dangerous turn when she indulges in an affair with a doctor whose god complex challenges her own."  It doesn't sound particularly interesting, but it seems possible that Meryl would fit the demographic.  Albeit I picture execs likely wanting to feature a younger, "hotter" actress if much of the film would focus on the affair.

At 14, we find Cut and Run, about a "female urologist and retired hooker who form an unlikely friendship when they team up to take down a notorious sex trafficker in Miami."  Again, appears that it technically could include Meryl, although it reads like it could be more of an action flick?  It could possibly be a social commentary film, bringing attention/awareness to forced prostitution in the U.S.  

Lastly, at 13 mentions and by far most intriguing to me, was Nyad.  Written by Robert Specland, it is "based on the true story of marathon swimmer Diana Nyad, who in 2013, after 4 failed attempts and at the age of 64, became the first person ever to open-swim from Cuba to Florida (55 hours non-stop) overcoming impossible odds, personal tragedy, and 103 miles of open ocean."

I had never heard of Nyad, but quickly began my research.  All the info I needed was best captured in the documentary I watched about her experience entitled The Other Shore.

Ok, on paper this role would seem to tick so many boxes for Meryl: biopic, age 64, physical transformation, intense personality, lesbian who (allegedly) suffered abuse at hands of both her Greek-Egyptian stepfather (Diana does a great accent of him in doc) and Hall of Fame swim coach Jack Nelson.  

I've read in interviews that Meryl swims for exercise.  I don't know if she continues to do so, but if I hadn't known that, I wouldn't have connected the possibility of her portraying this woman.  Not having read the script, I of course don't know how much of it takes place in the water, but I imagine quite a bit.  No doubt the filming would be physically grueling.  Meryl is no stranger to strenuous physical work in preparation for roles (The River Wild) and I wonder if it would take on extra significance were she to undergo it in her 60's rather than her 40's.  If the movie were to be made with Meryl, I expect it would have to be picked up this year with a filming schedule no later than summer 2017, incidentally when Meryl would turn 68.  Such a timeline would also allow for her to film The Good House later this year.

At first I thought Nyad may be too much of a stretch, but the more I think about it, and as I write this post, it seems at least possible, if not plausible.  Can you not totally picture Jodi Foster signing on to produce/direct or even star (as Nyad's trainer Bonnie Stoll)?!  Regardless of your interest in this project, I highly recommend viewing The Other Shore, which can be rented on Itunes.  Excited to hear people's thoughts on the documentary as well as Meryl's conceivable participation in a feature film.

Bonnie Stoll (left) and Diana Nyad (right)

                               

The impossible task of predicting the next five years

As many of you probably know, being predictive is one of my favorite aspects of this blog.  I also tend to obsess think about Meryl's filming schedule and legacy.  I've already laid out some suggestions in the epilogue to my reimagined history as to which projects would be fun to see her do, and of course I have my wish list section.   I'm going to update some of these suggestions, mostly because really I want them to happen, and partly because if any of them actually come to fruition it'll be gratifying to know I predicted them "way back when."

Obviously we know that Ricki and the Flash is being released in August and Suffragette in October this year.  Later this month Meryl will begin filming Florence Foster Jenkins, with no official release date yet designated.  I've given up on the possibility of Master Class (crying face emoticon).  If it happens it'll be gravy, but it likely wouldn't be this calendar year, so I'm not including it on my list.  You'll see reasonable filming and release dates after each title.  I realize that two lead roles annually over the next five to six years is highly unlikely, but the more films I suggest, the greater the likelihood that I'll get a couple of them right.  I'd also expect that she'll do a handful of bit roles in other films, but I'm going to focus on only lead roles.  For the most part, I'm listing one biopic and one non-biopic per year.  Here goes...


2016  Florence Foster Jenkins (May-Jul 2015) release Aug 2016
         The Good House (Oct-Dec 2015) release Dec 2016

2017  Whatever Happened to Baby Jane? (Sep-Nov 2016) release Aug 2017
         Best Actress (TV) (Apr-Jun 2017) release Dec 2017

2018  The Senator’s Wife (Aug-Oct 2017) release Oct 2018
         Follies (Dec 2017-Mar 2018) release Dec 2018

2019  The Testament of Mary (TV) (Aug-Oct 2018) release Easter 2019
         Indira Gandhi biopic (Feb-Apr 2019) release Dec 2019 

2020  Xavier Dolan film (Dec 2019-Feb 2020) release Dec 2020
         Susan B. Anthony Biopic (Jun-Sep 2019) release Oct 2020 

2021  Pedro Almodóvar film (Sep-Nov 2020) release Aug 2021
         Ruth Bader Ginsburg biopic (Feb-Apr 2021) release Dec 2021

Ok, the first thing most people will likely think after reading this is some version of "not a fucking chance."  I realize this list is beyond wishful thinking, but it's meant to be more of a template of possibilities.  It's more than likely that Florence will be released in the second half of 2016.  I've suggested in the past that it's not out of realm of possibility that they'd have it ready by December of this year, assuming filming wraps by July.  Unlikely, however.  And despite Streep saying she'd be taking a break after this film, we know FilmNation announced in December that under its new financing structure, The Good House was set for production in 2015.  Therefore, you see it listed as beginning filming in the fall.  It's a fantastic book and character in Hildy Good, so I hope it's made.

IMDb pro has Meryl rumored for the remake of Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?, to be directed by Walter Hill and co-starring Sissy Spacek.  What a coup it would be if Ryan Murphy were then able to cast Meryl with Susan Sarandon (assuming Jessica Lange does in fact retire) in Best Actress for HBO, which is the behind-the-scenes look at the making of the original.  Playing Baby Jane Hudson in the first and then Joan Crawford (who played Blanche in the original) in the second could perhaps be a sort of WGAF challenge for Meryl.  The two pictures being released in relative proximity to each other would also be a very enticing character juxtaposition for fans.

Moving on to 2018, I'd like to see The Senator's Wife come together, as it's seemingly a social commentary piece in a midterm election year.  Certainly not holding my breath on that one.  On paper, a re-teaming with director Rob Marshall on a big screen version of Follies could be a potential box-office success, not to mention awards contender.

2019 is without question the most far-fetched.  If by some miracle a screen version of The Testament of Mary were made, I think it might work better as a TV film, again with HBO perhaps.  The biggest "wish" I have is for Meryl to portray former Indian prime minster Indira Gandhi.  Although it would no doubt be controversial with Meryl in the role, a look at Mrs Gandhi's actions leading up to Operation Blue Star could make for a very compelling film.  I know some may object to a white actor portraying an Indian woman, but I'm prepared to (try to) defend a scenario where the casting need not necessarily be offensive, possibly even preferable.

The next two years are not dissimilar in that both would involve making a film with a non-native English speaking auteur director, as well as a biopic on the life of a pair of feminist icons.  Both Xavier Dolan and Pedro Almodóvar have expressed interest in working with Meryl.  Almodóvar has even stated that he has the rights to a specific novel with Streep in mind, but has not made the jump to directing in English and is unsure if he ever will.

We also know that Meryl has expressed an interest in starring in a film with Kathy Bates depicting early pioneers in the American women's suffrage movement, Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.  Hey, if Suffragette is a big success, maybe one of the screenwriters Streep recently funded will create a fantastic script involving these two indelible women.  Lastly, up to this point I've secretly thought it would be great to see a biopic on Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.  The second woman ever appointed to the highest court in the U.S., she has for decades been a leading jurist on equal rights for women.  Perhaps a look at the events surrounding the hearing of the Lilly Ledbetter case, which eventually became a fair pay law, would be a suitable backdrop.  Some say Ginsburg's blistering dissent from the conservative court's majority opinion sparked congressional action on the ruling.  I have to confess it would also be fun to see Streep portray someone as diminutive as Ginsburg, who at 5'1" was over a foot shorter than Julia Child.  

I realize that the majority of biopics I've listed tend to be of famous or internationally influential individuals.   Assuming Meryl does a handful of biopics over the next several years, I concede that it's more likely that they won't all be of women in powerful positions.  After all, this is only a template.  I suppose Hillary Clinton or Angela Merkel are more reasonable possibilities than the ones I've listed, but both are currently less appealing to me.

You'll notice that I've dropped the Catherine the Great biopic from my original list, as well as a new screen version of The Corrections.  I just don't think at this point either of them seem reasonable, or perhaps even desirable in my mind.  The #1 script on 2014's blacklist just so happens to be one of Catherine and her rise to power. But considering these events would take place when the empress was in her 20s and 30s, I don't see Meryl winning the role.  However, that portion of her biography is an incredibly interesting period in world history, so I wouldn't be surprised to see that picked up within the next couple of years.

No one knows how many of the above roles will ultimately happen.  Of course I want them all, but I'd have to be happy with three...right?

Wish List entry #4: Indira Gandhi

Last night I happened to notice on the Gold Derby forums that someone had made a comment about the possibility of Susan Sarandon starring in a film about former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.  So of course I did a little snooping and found several articles from last summer, all from Indian sources, that suggested director Natty Kumar was working on a biopic of Gandhi and wanted Sarandon for the role.   It got me thinking about how compelling it would be to see Meryl in such a role.  On paper it seems a no-brainer.  Biopic, world leader, Hindi accent, Oscar-bait.  From the articles I found, there was no indication that the film was actually moving forward or if Sarandon had even been approached.  It doesn't seem like the type of role Susan would lean toward, but who knows?

After doing some research on Gandhi, I learned that she has no relation to Indian nationalist/pacifist Mohandas "Mahatma" Gandhi.  She was also considered by many to be a socialist and nepotist, and overall I get the sense that her tenure is a divisive topic among Indians. Most striking to me, however, was the resemblance between Gandhi and Streep:

That nose!  How could Streep not be considered if a screen depiction of this woman were to come to fruition?  Last month there was some news that a Bollywood film based on the Sikh riots that resulted from Gandhi's assassination in 1984 (rumored to be titled October 31) was set to begin filming soon.  I've seen no confirmation that it's actually happening.  If a Hollywood production ever came together and Streep were hired for the role it would be her second role as a head of state, following her Academy Award-winning performance as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady. Perhaps we'd end up with a "female world leader" trilogy after Hillary Clinton is elected in a couple years?  Yes, please.

Thoughts on "The Testament of Mary" / Wish List entry #3

In addition to finishing The Good House this week, my copy of Colm Tóibín's audiobook of The Testament of Mary arrived at the library.  It's not particularly long, just about three hours, so I finished it in a day.  Meryl of course is fantastic in her reading.  Her voice is so soothing, and her interpretation of the title character makes for a compelling listen.  For those unaware of what this book is about, it's a look at Mary the mother of Jesus in her old age and the aftermath of her son's death.  She does not believe he was the son of God and recalls/retells several events leading up to his last days which contrast with history's traditional views of Christ.

Before I listened to this book, from what I understood I thought it would be difficult to adapt it into a film version.  It had a brief run as as stage play on Broadway earlier this year starring Fiona Shaw in a one-woman show, so the idea of it as a performed work is obviously not out of the question.   After having finished listening to it, I'm convinced that not only it could work as a film adaptation, but that it would be amazing to see this story brought to the screen.

The most enticing prospect of seeing this on film would be the aforementioned contrasted depiction of what Tóibín provides as a fictionalized look at a woman and the traditionally-held Christian view of her as the mother of God.  Obviously such a contrast would provoke some strong opinions on the subject, particularly in the United States, but that makes it so much more interesting.  It wouldn't have to be a political statement, instead a reimagined look at woman whom we may think we know well, but in truth know very little about.  I remember thinking while listening to the book that in reality it's a more likely and believable historical interpretation of Christ's life than what we can read in the Bible.

Were such a production to come to fruition, like Doubt and August: Osage County the setting could be opened up considerably from the stage version.  I imagine it could be filmed in or around the Middle East, with Meryl styled to look like an Israelite Jew from the first century, which would be quite a departure from any other character representation I can recall seeing from her in the past onscreen.

I don't know exactly what ultimately made Meryl decide to become involved with the audio version of this novel, but obviously the story connected with her in some way.  She has narrated numerous other works over the years, but this is the first that could arguably be made into a film where Meryl could star as the main character.  The only other would be the first book she narrated this year, Norah Ephron's Heartburn.  And well, we know that book's film history.  Consider this another kick in the pants to the universe to make this happen.