They're still in talks, but everyone is reporting the deal as done, so I will too. Nicole Kidman and Judi Dench are joining Nine, Rob Marshall's film adaptation of the 1982 Broadway musical. The Hollywood Reporter says they'll be joining the already impressive cast of Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Marion Cotillard and Sophia Loren.Bardem will be playing the lead, a film director juggling the demands of several women in his life. The musical is an adaptation of Federico Fellini's autobiographical 8 1/2. Shooting was supposed to have begun in March, but due to the recent loss of Anthony Minghella, it has now been delayed to September. As Kidman is due to become a mother this summer, it would give her a nice maternity break.
I wasn't a big fan of Rob Marshall's Chicago, but the cast of this has me intrigued. I was always hoping Kidman would do another musical -- and it will be really fun to see Dench get to show off her impressive musical background. She played Sally Bowles in the original London production of Cabaret, and won the Olivier award in 1995 for her role in Stephen Sondheim's A Little Night Music. I can't believe no one has cast her in a big screen musical yet.
I have to say -- for some, the idea of a singing and dancing Hugh Jackman/Wolverine puts them on edge. For me, it's Bardem. I am trying to get the idea of Anton Chigurh out of my head, I don't want to see him singing and dancing. I tell myself he's a handsome and talented actor, and it's not working.
1. I love Judi Dench, (does she ever do anything really bad?) and like you have been hoping to see Kidman in a another musical. Frankly, I love musicals, so I'm always excited at the thought of one on film, Chicago aside.
Posted at 12:20PM on Apr 4th 2008 by Tigerlily