This morning I received an email (from Penguin's Singapore office) announcing that Renee Zelwegger will star in a film about Beatrix Potter!
Goodness, whatever next?! Angelina Jolie as Nancy Drew? Pamela Anderson as Joey Bettany?
Now, I can see Zelwegger as, say, Mrs Bunny or Miss Tiggywinkle, but Beatrix Potter? Hmmm ...
"Little Mrs Tittlemouse was feeling fat. She was also feeling unwanted. 'Will I ever meet the mouse of my dreams?' she wondered as she sipped Martini out of an acorn cup. Perhaps she should give Mr Jackson a chance. However, he was such a ... a ... well there was no getting away from it - he was a total toad!" - Opening paragraph from the first draft of The Tale of Mrs Tittlemouse, originally titled Bridget Tittlemouse's Diary.
From the Frederick Warne newsletter:
Renee Zellweger meets Miss Potter
Academy Award winning actress Renee Zellweger, loved worldwide for her portrayal of Bridget Jones, one of the most endearing characters in modern British literature, is now to star in a film about a female British icon of a very different kind.
Renee has been a fan of Beatrix Potter's books since childhood. As an adult, reading around the subject, she discovered a woman whose life was a fascinating mix of professional achievement and private grief. Her comprehensive research for her role has included visits to the recent exhibitions at Dulwich in London and Amherst near Springfield in the US, as well as time spent in the Warne archive looking at drawings, letters and manuscripts and talking to the Potter experts on the team. Renee said that holding the author's own farming clogs gave her a real moment of insight into the practical personality of Beatrix Potter.
The Warne team have been working for months with the director, scriptwriter, producer, prop makers and designers who are all determined to make the film as authentic as possible, and were delighted to host Ewan McGregor, who plays Norman Warne, and Emily Watson who is Millie Warne, on a visit to the Penguin offices for archive research and afternoon tea in February.
Filming began in March at various locations in London including Osterley Park and St. Peter's Square in Hammersmith. Warne visitors to the set have been impressed by the patience and attention to detail of the entire cast and crew, and bowled over by the atmosphere on set - it is not often that everyone is so enthusiastic about a movie and clearly so much enjoying making it.
Press interest has been phenomenal in the UK with consistent coverage across every aspect of the media since news of the story broke back in September. There has been much speculation as well as some fascinating pictures of Renee in full Beatrix Potter costume relaxing on set listening to an iPod!
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