Hello and welcome back to our weekly roundup of what’s casting. We endeavour to bring you stage and screen castings from around the UK. We’re always trying our best to source this information from the most reliable places and, what’s more, to confirm it for ourselves but sometimes even the experts get it wrong. We verify, verify and verify again but we also suggest that you take some time to get to know the project you’re applying for as well as confirm for yourself before firing CVs and headshots across the interwebs.
OK, let’s get on with the news of what’s casting. This week we’ve got a mix of big budget features and exciting smaller films.
“Cruella”
Way back in Jan 2016, Emma Stone was announced as lead in this prequel to the “101 Dalmatians” series. It’s set to follow in the evil lady origins story footsteps of “Maleficent” and with a brilliant writing team that includes playwright Jez Butterworth, is likely to be sharper than the average script. Nothing has been heard about the supporting cast and as yet, there’s not an official release date (although last we heard it was 2018) but it’s worth noting that it’s filming in London and if “Beauty and the Beast” is anything to go by, Lucy Bevan may be casting. This might be one to set an alert on.
“The Angel”
The true story of Ashraf Marwan, the Egyptian president’s son-in-law, special adviser, and also simultaneously Israeli Intelligence's most precious asset of the 20th century. Based on the bestselling book “The Angel: The Egyptian Spy Who Saved Israel” by Uri Bar-Joseph, this adaption is filming this year in London, elsewhere in the U.K., Morocco, and Bulgaria. Casting is by Rutie Blum.
“Sweetness in the Belly”
Having escaped civil war in Ethiopia, orphaned Lilly must now navigate growing up on a council estate in Thatcher’s. She becomes the centre of a disenfranchised community in London, attempting to reunite people with their families. But her friend Amira discovers that Lilly’s mission to help others hides the mission to be reunited with a lost love. Based on the book by Camilla Gibb, this feature is set to film in London this year with Saorise Ronan. There’s no casting director attached yet but given that it’s an Anglo-Irish tale our best bet is that it’ll be Fiona Weir who cast “Brooklyn”.
Smaller films often rely on castings led by the director, writer, and producer. These budget British films look like they’re doing just that:
“The Devil’s Dandruff”
The rise of a petty drug dealer to gangland kingpin. Jason Cook writes and directs this budget mafia thriller filming in Elstree and on location, made by Way Forward Productions.
“Vampyre”
A throwback horror flick about a young English gentleman and his sister falling prey to dark forces. No casting director attached but we know filming is taking place in London, Greece, and Italy.
“Never Rains But It Pours”
British actor and director Matt E Hudson is making a sharp-witted comedy drama about two psychiatrists with addictions and obsessions that lead to an illicit seduction. No casting director attached but it’s being made by G & T Pictures.
That’s all for this week but please post in the comments below telling us what you want to see more of or if there’s anything we’ve missed.
Check out Backstage’s London audition listings!