Granted, we don't keep up with Rosie Perez, but that doesn't mean she hasn't been keeping busy. While the last time this writer saw her was in "Pineapple Express," just over a year ago, a fellow Playlist-er caught her awesomely praising (and then leaving) a screening of "The Fighter." You go Rosie Perez….anyway, she's landed a gig in what will be her first real substantial drama in quite some time (sorry, the feel goodery of the upcoming "Won't Back Down" doesn't count).
Perez is joining the massive ensemble of Brad Pitt, Michael Fassbender, Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz and Dean Norris in Ridley Scott's "The Counselor." As you already know, this one is penned by Cormac McCarthy so it's legit, and tells a grim tale that follows an attorney (Fassbender) who is in search of a big payday after he proposes to his girlfriend, Laura (Cruz). So he hooks up with Reiner (Bardem), an acquaintance with deep criminal ties, for a new business proposition: they'll take $20 million worth of cocaine from south of the border and offload it themselves, aided by the no-good Westray (Pitt). But alas, there is no info on who Perez will play.
Production on the film is gearing up for the fall, and we presume a few more names will be added between now and then. No release date yet, but you can bet Fox is priming a key date on their 2013 calendar for this one. [Variety]
This is really weirdly written and very backhanded. Viola Davis and Maggie Gyllenhaal are in "Won't Back Down," with Davis already discussed as a possible Best Actress contender. I am not interested in seeing it, but I do think it would count as substantial drama. I love McCarthy but saying this film in pre-production is more "legit" than anything else she's working on is too early to say. Scott has botched things, Sorkin's an acclaimed writer but look at "The Newsroom." I think The Counselor will probably very good but crowning it during pre-production is a bit much. Let it shoot! Maybe Rosie has some indie gold in between, y'know all those festival type films that get "buzz" after their shown. Sorry, this whole article is backhanded. She was an Oscar nominee, had a good five year run and yeah showed up in Pineapple Express… Maybe I'm being sensitive because she's the first naked woman I saw in a movie. I get attached.