After the two worked together on the critically acclaimed Cannes-winning title The Lobster, Rachel Weisz (Oscar winner for the 2015 film The Constant Gardener) is in talks to reunite with director Yorgos Lanthimos (Dogtooth) in The Favourite, according to Deadline. The role of Queen Anne’s confidante, Sarah, was originally going to be played by Kate Winslet but now Weisz is being considered to star opposite Emma Stone (Birdman) and Olivia Colman (The Iron Lady).
The film follows the reign of Queen Anne from 1702-1707, the last monarch of the House of Stuarts and centers on the political machinations behind the scenes. Deborah Davis and Tony McNamara have written the script. Tony McHamara recently wrote and directed Ashby which was released earlier this year. Colman is a prominent actress in the UK after appearing in a wide variety of television shows and films such as the popular TV series Broadchurch opposite David Tennant and the film Tyrannosaur. Colman is set to play Queen Anne and Stone will play Abigail Masham, a young woman who gains a position at court tending to the Queen and is also a relative of Sarah.
The producers of The Favourite are Ceci Dempsey of Scarlet Films and the producers of The Lobster Ed Guiney and Lee Magiday from Element Pictures. The executive producer is Element Pictures’ Andrew Lowe. Filming will start in spring 2016.
The news recently broke out that Rachel Weisz is in talks to star in the Roger Mitchell thriller My Cousin Rachel opposite Sam Claflin (The Hunger Games). She is also starring in Paolo Sorrentino’s film Youth with Michael Caine which will be released later this year.
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