“August” Movie: Who Will Be Violet?
It’s official: the Broadway smash and Tony award winner for Best Play “August: Osage County” will become a feature film. Playwright Tracy Letts will write the screenplay, but no director has been announced. The big question now of course is who will play the juicy role of the story’s pill-addicted matriarch, Violet Weston. If you don’t think the producers will offer the role first to Meryl Streep (pictured left), I’ve got a bridge to sell you. This year alone, Streep is starring in two other stage-to-screen projects: “Mamma Mia,” which is a hit, and “Doubt,” which will undoubtedly yield her a 15th Oscar nomination. And please don’t protest that Streep is too young for the part. Violet is 65, and Streep is 59; in Hollywood terms, six years is just a hot minute. If Streep passes up the chance, Jessica Lange, Susan Sarandon, Glenn Close, Sally Field, and countless others will be ready and available. And whom would I like to see? Deanna Dunagan (pictured right), who played Violet onstage, would be wunnerful, but it ain’t gonna happen. For me the two most intriguing possibilities would be Jane Fonda and Vanessa Redgrave. (Redgrave would be spectacular, but I’d rather see Violet played by an American.) The role of Violet’s three daughters will be drawn from a pool of big glamorpusses: Angelina Jolie, Nicole Kidman, Renee Zellweger, etc. The more I think about it, my own personal dream casting would probably be Redgrave and Jodie Foster as the eldest daughter. That would be a duel for the ages!
I love the idea of Redgrave/Foster and kudos for not even mentioning Cate Blanchett as the oldest daughter (I figured she’d be on the top of everyone’s list).