Opera legend Maria Callas has been a talent many have sought to bring to the big screen, with a couple of biopics brewing in the past few years including one by Niki Caro that needs script work and has Eva Green on board, and another with Eva Mendes attached to star. However, before either of those projects come to fruition, it looks like Callas will first be played by Paz Vega in Olivier Dahan's "Grace Of Monaco" starring Nicole Kidman as "Rear Window" actress turned Monaco princess, Grace Kelly.
The actress/model joins Kidman and "La Vie En Rose" helmer Dahan in tackling Arash Amel's Black List script, which is set in 1962 when French prime minister Charles De Gaulle gave Monaco's Prince Rainer III, Kelly's husband, six months to change its laws that allowed it to become a tax haven. Kelly, however, managed to maneuver behind the scenes to avoid political troubles with the help of confidante Callas — who, at the time, was partnered with shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis, an advisor to Rainer III.
The casting marks a top year for Vega who has just completed work on Pedro Almodovar's comedy "I'm So Excited." No word just yet on when "Grace Of Monaco" will begin lensing but this smaller piece of casting surely suggests that it's moving forward steadily. [Variety]
I don't think Paz Vega is any close to be able to play Maria Callas. She might surprise all of us but I just don't see her playing the role. Maria had big dark eyes. Oh well.
Grace Kelly is probably Hollywood's most beautiful actress of all time, sorry Nicole Kidman ain't gonna cut it.
The French press reports that production is supposed to start late September in the south of France. After Paperboy it will be nice to see Kidman in classy outfits !