In Carey Mulligan’s entry on Tuesday’s “best actors under 30” list, I mentioned her stunning turn on stage in the recent revival of Chekhov’s “The Seagull,” writing that “if/when anyone commits that to film, Mulligan will be unbeatable for Best Supporting Actress.”
What I didn’t know is that “if” has definitely become a “when” in this case. I wrote when rumors of a “Seagull” movie surfaced in January, but the project was actually confirmed a month ago. (I was in Venice and missed the news; thanks to a helpful but nameless reader for pointing me to the news.)
Anyway, with news as good as this, better late than never. The production is being brought to the screen with the cast and creative team largely unchanged.
Ian Rickson, the former artistic director of London’s Royal Court Theater, will make his feature directing debut, while Alison Owen (an Oscar nominee for “Elizabeth”) is producing the film, which begins shooting in May. I’m guessing Christopher Hampton will take script duties, since it was he who refashioned Chekhov’s play for the stage production.
Most importantly, Kristin Scott Thomas is reprising her dazzling, Olivier Award-winning interpretation of fading theater diva Arkadina, with Mulligan also on board as the steadily disillusioned young actress Nina. If they manage to transfer the intensity of their stage work to the screen, you can pencil both ladies onto your years-in-advance contenders lists, mark my words.
Meanwhile, Mackenzie Crook (best known to most viewers for his work in the original “The Office”) also returns as Arkadina’s ill-fated playwright son Konstantin. The crucial role of Arkadina’s lover Trigorin — played by Chiwetel Ejiofor in London, and by Peter Sarsgaard on Broadway — has yet to be cast. Ejiofor is unavailable, but Sarsgaard would be ideal, to my mind.
If you want an idea of what the fuss is about, here’s a clip of Scott Thomas and Crook in the Broadway production. (I couldn’t find any of Mulligan, unfortunately.) Bear in mind that they’ll dial it down a notch for the camera.
Comments
29 responses to “‘Seagull’ film going ahead with Mulligan and Scott Thomas”
I am delighted by every bit of this news except the part about Rickson directing. I understand he has already shepherded the performances and the production’s point of view this time, but the number of top-flight theater directors who turn out to have no idea what to do with a camera, a cut, or an editing rhythm gives one pause.
Still: Scott Thomas in a legendary role. Hurrah!
Great news! I have never seen the play but it’s Chekhov, Thomas and Mulligan!
Guy, one video I had found with Mulligan is this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQoSzPumQtk
but what they show of the play is very brief.
Yes, that gave me pause too. With any luck, he’ll be more of a Sam Mendes than a Nicholas Hytner, though I sense we’re in for fairly staid treatment here. (If it comes to that, I’ll settle for something resembling the Hytner of “King George” rather than “History Boys.”)
surely they’ll need a name for trigorin – two words: daniel craig
great play, lets see if they can pull it off
I am eager to see this–I’ve never read it or seen it on Broadway, so no spoilers please (naturally).
I do have a question for everybody though: How do you feel about the movie’s working title, “Electric Slide”?
Saw it on Broadway, and sans Sarsgaard, everything/everyone was wonderful. Mulligan was much more impressive than in “An Education,” IMHO.
Agreed with Nick here. When I read the director was a first-timer stage director? Yikes. Why not someone like Mike Nichols, perhaps? Or anyone but a first-timer.
Nevertheless, the thought of seeing these women act like big divas is too good.
What if Mulligan wins Best Actress for “Education” though?
Lol, I like that I prove Stuff White People Like’s latest monthly entry right: “white people will assume your art education consists entirely of documentaries, bio pics, and looking up references from Gossip Girl on Wikipedia.”
The reason I’ve heard of The Seagull is Gossip Girl, during an episode when Blair’s life was paralleled to both that play & The Age of Innocence. The parallels were nicely done, but the ep was mostly uneven just like the show’s mostly been lately.
Looks like Mulligan’s chances to be the first actor born after the 70’s to get 2 noms has increased. Of course, it would be most interesting if two got it at the same time…perhaps Knightley & Mulligan for Never Let Me Go. Of course, Gosling/Williams & Hathaway/Gyllenhaal will be paired up in films too, so hmm.
Off-Topic: Sony just picked up Chloe
What happens if she gets nominated for Best Actress for her role as Shia Labeouf’s girlfriends in Wall Street 2?
Wouldn’t that just throw a spanner in the works?
Hmm. Could Mulligan be a double nominee? Actress for “Wall Street 2” and Supporting Actress for “The Seagull”?
and off-topic, to answer ZiZo: is Chloe finding release this year???
Alex and Julian: Getting that specific about awards that far in advance makes my head hurt. And nobody should take my word that seriously ;)
I’m not officially predicting… but it is a tad fun to prognosticate haha. Plus I had just woken up, which equates to me being half dead (to some extent), and I feel the same way about going that far ahead in the awards derby so… I dunno why I even said that lol
I saw An Education at Sundance
Carey mulligan is a talented actress. But she lacks power to attract and impress audiences.
So… are you basically saying that she’s good but not “that good”??? I have no opinion of her yet since Pride and Prejudice is as much as I’ve seen of her
based on the allen loeb script, no one will be winning anything for “wall street 2”
Guy, I was joshing about Wall Street 2. People on this board are already predicting she will be the youngest double nominee ever and An Education has only just been released.
Loeb’s script is bland, pointless and extraneous. I don’t remember the last time an Oliver Stone film made any cultural impact. Though I do give him props for making a George W Bush biopic while he was still in office.
not that good
Carey is a good actress.
but I don’t think she is going to be a big star.
Oh okay :) I was never feeling her as a huge Oscar contender. Nomination? Maybe, but I never had too much stock in her winning. I’m still thinking Sidibe…
Oh Guy you just made me so happy. This is the best news I’ve heard for the last two months. KST was robbed of a Tony and of an Oscar nod last year. Hampton had said he’d like to adapt it for film but that was months ago.
YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY
I think Oscar is getting messed up
look at “2009 OSCAR PREDICTIONS”
SIGH !!!!!!!
I think an Oscar is getting messed up
look at “2009 OSCAR PREDICTIONS”
SIGH !!!!!!!
If Mulligan does do the film version of The Seagull, then she will not win the Oscar this year. The Academy is notorious for holding off giving someone an Oscar when they know a prime bait role is in the works for a performer. Ie. Streep lost for French Lieutenant’s Woman then won the next year for Sophie’s Choice. Same thing with Kidman, lost Moulin Rouge-won for The Hours, Zellweger lost for Chicago-won for Cold Mountain, Crowe lost for Insider won for Gladiator,
“Emma: I saw An Education at Sundance
Carey mulligan is a talented actress. But she lacks power to attract and impress audiences.”
Pretty much every film critic in country disagrees with you. And every theater critic who caught her performance in “The Seagull” on Broadway and London’s West End disagrees with you, too.
This is my opinion….:
I know that She and this movie recieved critic’s rave reviews. I think it’s just hype.
This movie was not good. And she was not great
Tessa: Those are very flawed analogies. A number of factors came into play in each of those situations.
1981: Streep lost to Hepburn out of sentiment, and the chance to make Hepburn the first 4-time winner as well.
It had very little to do with Sophie’s Choice, imo. In 2002, Zellweger simply was not good enough to win the Oscar because Kidman was the favored one and Zeta-Jones stole the Chicago show.
As for Crowe in 1999–given that American Beauty took the season by storm, I don’t think there’s any way he would’ve beaten Spacey either. If anything, Washington was probably the runner-up (and his so-so 2001 win was a pity/reimbursement trophy).
Emma: Lollercoaster.
Random thought: Lily Allen might get cast in this film. She recently quit music for acting, and since her mother is producer Alison Owen, there’s a chance.
I’m saying this because I spotted her in Elizabeth when I watched it the other day.
Well-spotted with regard to “Elizabeth,” but unless she gets a walk-on as a chambermaid or something, I somewhat doubt that. “The Seagull” is rather short on young female roles, after all.
Besides, much as I like Lily, I think her mom is as aware as anyone that Chekhov would be a jump in the deep end for her ;)