We gripped early on, but the casting for Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglorious Bastards,” in the last few weeks has been exactly what we’ve been hoping for since the beginning – genuine native articles and not American stars.
We suggested some more famous French and German actors originally, because we assumed Tarantino and the studios would want to go with names, but we’re pleased as punch that he’s grabbing mostly unknowns (relative to North America) to fill out the rest of cast, which will add the authentic touch the script was begging for from the beginning. We’ve actually gained so much more faith in the film to be in recent weeks, especially since the announcement that relative unknown, Melanie Laurent will (likely) play the lead protagonist Shosanna (if these reports turn out to be true and they at least sure sound like they will).
According to Allocine.fr (via Tarantino archives), French actresses, Léa Seydoux and Anne-Sophie Franck have joined the cast of the film. Both have relatively small resumes; Seydoux currently acts on the French television show, “La Belle personne,” Franck stars in the French miniseries “No Secrets Between Us,” and both starred alongside each other in the 2006 film, “Mes Copines.”
Who Will They Play?
It’s unknown which roles they will play, but we know the role oft Bridget Von Hammersmark is taken by Diane Kruger, so that leaves two more female roles, Francesca, colluding Frenchwoman and interpreter to the Nazis and Madame Mirieux, the impetuous French doyenne of the cinematheque who essentially adopts the female lead. One would assume, that Mirieux should (and must) be played by a much older woman so this should rule the role of Mirieux out, but you never know with QT. The only other female we can think of is a younger version of Shosanna that appears in the beginning of the film, but these two seem to be around the same 20-something age of Melanie Laurent, so who knows what’s cooking here exactly. Surely one of them will be cast as Francesca and we’ll find out soon enough. The other is anyone’s guess right now.
But again, we think this kind of casting is the exact right touch for the film and we feel like it’s moving towards smarter territory.
