Adams rumored as "Ivy"

Apparently there are rumors swirling that Amy Adams will be cast in the role of "Ivy" in August: Osage County.  I've held off on posting about this for a couple days because I am unable to find any credible info for it online.  Right now, it's only a rumor.  If she is indeed cast, I'm not sure I'll be pleased.  Yes, Adams is a great actress, but I feel we've seen enough of her recently in Meryl movies.  However, she's pretty good in mousy roles, and there's a lot of that as Ivy.   Adams would make it 7-for-7 Oscar nominees in the cast.  But we'll have to see if there is any legitimate news on her involvement.  Check out where we stand as of now.  I've decided to remove Andrea Riseborough as a possibility as "Karen" and list Juliette Lewis and Abigail Breslin as "confirmed," as I haven't seen anything to suggest otherwise. 


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)
Ivy Weston: Amy Adams (speculated)

Streep and Jones "Hope Springs" interview

These clips have been out for several days, but they include some interesting insights from our stars of the upcoming film Hope Springs.  There hasn't been a ton of coverage or press for this film, but it's not a huge awards vehicle or expected to be an enormous box office draw. Or maybe there has been and I've just been too obsessed with looking for news on August: Osage County?  Yeah, that's probably more likely.  Anyway, check out these clips.  I'm not sure why there can't just be one single clip, but I was unable to find it.  I dig the Tolstoy quote.  Enjoy.

Wilkinson for "August: Osage County"?

Tracking board has now indicated that Tom Wilkinson has been offered the role of family patriarch Beverly Weston, opposite Meryl in the upcoming August: Osage County.  Someone may have previously mentioned his name to me, or I may just be hallucinating, but he's the one person among those mentioned in the cast that I've always pictured in this role.  Again, like with the rumors of Meryl being in Into the Woods, I'm not sure how legit The Tracking Board is with information like this.  There is nothing else out there to corroborate Wilkinson's involvment.  Again, the waiting game.  Still prediting Dianne Wiest for Mattie Fae.   Here's where we are now:

Violet Weston: Meryl Streep (confirmed)
Barbara Fordham: Julia Roberts (confirmed)
Charlie Aiken: Chris Cooper (confirmed)
Karen Weston: Andrea Riseborough (speculated)
                       Juliette Lewis (speculated--but at this point far more likely than Riseborough)
Jean Fordham: Abigail Breslin (speculated)
Beverly Weston: Tom Wilkinson (speculated)

"Into the Woods" feature film rumor

Earlier this year Meryl was rumored to be a possibility for a stage production of Into the Woods at the Delacorte Theater in New York this summer.  Donna Murphy ended up in the role as The Witch instead of Meryl.   Around the same time, I learned that Disney was planning on producing a film version of the 80's musical with Rob Marshall directing.   Well, three days ago there was an article suggesting that Meryl is indeed attached to star in the film.

Usually when legit news comes out on possible film participation we find more than one article about it, so I'm taking this speculation pretty lightly.  Of course I would be thrilled if she ended up being officially cast, but I imagine filming wouldn't start until at least 2013 anyway.  We'll definitely be playing a waiting game on this one to get confirmation.  I don't mind.  We waited over a year to get confirmation of her participation in August: Osage County, and look how well that turned out!

Breslin latest rumored addition to "August: Osage County"

Deadline is reporting that 16 year-old Abigail Breslin has been cast as Jean in Meryl's upcoming film August: Osage County.  Although I have a hard time picturing Breslin as anything but her pudgy character in Little Miss Sunshine, I'm sure this is a great addition.  I saw a couple of pictures of her online and she's looking quite grown up, so I don't think it'll be too tough to convince me she's someone other than Olive Hoover.

As Jean Fordham, Breslin will play Julia Roberts's cranky,  pot-smoking daughter.   There are so many incredible female roles in this movie, with two of the best still to be revealed:  Mattie Fae and Ivy.  The way news has been rolling out every few days, I have to wonder if they pretty much have this thing cast and they just give out one name at a time so nerds like me can go crazy publicizing it.   It's a good tactic because I'm like a Pavlovian dog impatiently anticipating updates.  So, here's where we stand now:

Violet Weston: Meryl Streep (confirmed)
Barbara Fordham: Julia Roberts (confirmed)
Charlie Aiken: Chris Cooper (confirmed)
Karen Weston: Andrea Riseborough (speculated)
                       Juliette Lewis (speculated)
Jean Fordham: Abigail Breslin (speculated)

"August: Osage County" script

I don't think I've ever posted three days in a row, but this will be short.  Yesterday I finished reading August: Osage County (the play script) and it's even better than I remember it being on stage.  I know it won't happen because the play is like three and a half hours long, but I don't want them to cut any of the dialogue.  Well at least not any of Violet's dialogue.  It's so good!

Since I've been obsessing about August, I've sort of been neglecting news for Meryl's new film Hope Springs, which opens in just three weeks.  Check out Simply Streep for a brief interview with Meryl and Tommy Lee Jones regarding the new film.  It just so happens that the film opens the day before my birthday.  No big deal.

Add Juliette Lewis to "August: Osage County" casting speculation

Well, it turns out the rumors of Andrea Riseborough having a scheduling conflict may actually be true, as now Juliette Lewis is in negotiations to star as Karen in August: Osage County.  I guess I'd give more weight to the most recent news, especially considering we haven't heard any further info on Riseborough for quite a while.  As I predicted, we're now getting casting updates almost daily.  Um, love it.  Lewis would be fantastic as Karen.  I picture her doing a great job playing the self-absorbed, delusional youngest daughter of the Weston clan.  At 39, Lewis would also be much closer in real age to Karen's character (40) than would be Riseborough, who's 30.   Here's where we are regarding casting as of last night:

Violet Weston: Meryl Streep (confirmed)
Barbara Fordham: Julia Roberts (confirmed)
Charlie Aiken: Chris Cooper (confirmed)
Karen Weston: Andrea Riseborough (speculated)
                        Juliette Lewis (speculated)

p.s.--This was interesting yesterday. I'm not holding my breath.