December
16
My Fair Lady: Thompson Wants Laurie as Higgins
Emma Thompson has won Oscars for both acting (Howard's End) and writing (Sense and Sensibility). And she is coming to accept how satisfying both can be. "I always thought acting was my compulsion," she says," but that writing was a different form of creativity because it is so back to the knuckle. Acting is a natural thing because you are using your body, it's like singing. I was wrong about that. Both can answer the same need. I feel better after writing for two hours."
Thompson is back in her fave Bel Air Hotel bungalow promoting Last Chance Harvey, an unassuming romantic comedy that Joel Hopkins wrote for her some eight years ago. She revived it by bringing in as her leading man her co-star on Stranger than Fiction, Dustin Hoffman. "There are no special effects, no sub-plots, no heroes, no villains," she says. "It's just people talking and acting and falling in love and the obstacles that arise within the soul."
Meanwhile she's still pursuing her other muse, adapting the classic Lerner and Loew musical My Fair Lady for the screen for Columbia Pictures. She writes long-hand for the first draft, then moves to the computer, she says. "There is a connection between the brain and the arm and the pen."
Keira Knightley is signed on to star as Eliza Doolittle. While Thompson's old Cambridge cohort Hugh Laurie is her first choice for Henry Higgins, she has to finish the script first. And that choice will be made by the film's eventual director. (She won't be ready to direct, although she has some projects in mind, until her 8-year-old daughter is grown.)
Thompson revelled in checking into the source, George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion. "I love it," she says. "You can't contemporize this. I love that period anyway. I loved investigating Shaw himself and his relationship with women and actresses."
My My Fair Lady Higgins poll was a pitched battle between fans of Colin Firth and Jeremy Northam, who finally won. Who do you want to play him?
In the meantime the sequel to the family fantasy comedy Nanny McPhee is getting under way in January, written by and starring the snaggle-toothed Thompson. It's about "two sets of children and war between two families who don't understand each other," she says. And it stars a baby elephant.
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Any director who would balk at the idea of Hugh Laurie shouldn't be hired in the first place. I'm not a fan of MFL but I would pay a lot to see him in it.
Posted by: David C. | December 16, 2008 at 07:37 PM
And for Col. Pickering: Stephen Fry! (Let's make it a real Cambridge reunion.)
Posted by: Daryl Chin | December 17, 2008 at 08:38 AM
Completely agree with the casting of Hugh Laurie. Could not imagine anyone better. Stephen Fry as Colonel Pickering also brilliant suggestion. But let's see, Hollywood will get ahold of it and cast Tom Cruise and Johnny Depp.
Posted by: twilightgal | December 17, 2008 at 08:42 AM
100% on the Fry & Laurie reunion. And how about John Cleese as Mr. Doolittle?
Posted by: Cadavra | December 17, 2008 at 09:15 AM
Ray Stevenson as Henry Higgins. Dominic West as Col. Pickering. Keira Knightley in full "Domino" mode as Eliza. Trailer announcer: "This time Eliza Doolittle is gettin' PAID!"
I'd pay to see that.
Oh, and Zac Efron as Freddy Eynsford-Hill.
Posted by: Brian | December 17, 2008 at 12:57 PM
somebody has to tell Keira Knightley to stop making period pieces. While MFL would be great with Hugh Laurie - just because he's good at all of that - Keira would just be a complete bore. She has so changed since Bend It Like Beckham, where she was actually likable.
Posted by: Arthur Stein | December 17, 2008 at 03:56 PM
I think both Stephen &/or Hugh will fit on both roles of Higgins &/or Pickering.
I want Rowan Atkinson as Alfred Doolittle, for he performed Cockney accent a few times in Not the 9 O'Clock News including the song 'I Like Bouncing', & some thick voice in a Blackadder II episode 'Head'
& here I made some cast for MFL remake, Blackadder version!
Enjoy!
Director
John Lloyd
Cast
Keira Knightley ... Eliza Doolittle
Stephen Fry/Hugh Laurie ... Professor Henry Higgins
Rowan Atkinson ... Alfred P. Doolittle
Stephen Fry/Hugh Laurie ... Colonel Hugh Pickering
Helen Atkinson-Wood ... Mrs. Higgins
Dominic Cooper ... Freddy Eynsford-Hill
Robbie Coltrane ... Zoltan Karpathy
Miranda Richardson ... Mrs. Pearce
Miriam Margolyes ... Mrs. Eynsford-Hill
Chris Barrie ... Butler
Tony Robinson ... "Wadaya tike me for, a fool?"
Adrian Edmondson ... Greek Ambassador
Rik Mayall ... Prince of Transylvania
Patsy Byrne ... Queen of Transylvania
Tim McInnerny ... Lord Boxington
Posted by: Hugh | December 18, 2008 at 12:25 AM
...Sorry, It's ALMOST Blackadder version, cause there are Knightley & Cooper
Posted by: Hugh | December 18, 2008 at 05:02 AM
Fry shouldn't play Higgins--Laurie better. I like Fry as pickering. I like Dominic Cooper as Freddy. His mother should be someone more---Patrician. Not sure about Atkinson. The father should have some danger to him, be real working class. He should be hearty and muscular like he works in the streets, a dustman. Not sure about Robbie Coltrane--Karpathy is a foreigner--maybe Alfred Molina.
Posted by: Variety.com * | December 18, 2008 at 08:53 AM
Jason Statham IS Alfred P. Doolittle! "I'm gettin' to the church on time, mate. I'll drive me OWN carriage!"
Posted by: Brian | December 18, 2008 at 12:19 PM
Hugh Laurie as Henry Higgins? Really?
yech.
he's the one in need of the transformation, not the one to inspire a transformtaion.
yech, yech, yech...
Posted by: martha | December 19, 2008 at 06:30 PM
Hugh Laurie= The perfect Henry Higgins. I also think Julie Andrews should play Mrs. Pearce... because... well, it's awesome. With Judi Dench as Mrs. Eynsford-Hill. And Dominic Cooper can play Freddy Eynsford-Hill, he sang in Mamma Mia.
Posted by: Andee Ga | December 19, 2008 at 07:07 PM
Hugh Laurie would indeed be awesom.
I am guessing that Martha posting above only knows him from House ?
@ Martha: Don't confuse the actor with one of the characters he plays.
He already played mr. Palmer in Sense and Sensibility.
Posted by: Claudia | December 20, 2008 at 02:59 PM
Keira Knightley? Again? She's not a bad actress but I'm getting tired of her!
However Hugh Laurie would be awesome as Henry Higgins!
Posted by: Sunny Tyler | December 21, 2008 at 03:25 AM
OMG, this sounds awesome! I hope that Emma gets her wish to have Hugh Laurie as prof. Higgins because i think he would be PERFECT! I loved the original My Fair Lady and would love to see this version.
Posted by: Jade | December 21, 2008 at 07:20 PM
Couldnt agree more,
Hugh Laurie as Henry Higgins
Stephen Fry as Pickering
John Cleese and Mr. Doolittle....
but with a cast like that dont you think Kiera Knightly would be a little lost/overshadowed??? I say get an unknown actress to play the part....
...and while they're at it, bring this fabulous cast to Broadway!! It would be a tremendous success!!
Posted by: Figgie125 | December 22, 2008 at 09:09 AM
Doolittle is Benny Hill, not Monty Python.
Ricky Gervais could rock that role. Smear on soot, slap on a filthy cap, and Shaw's your uncle.
Cleese would make a good Higgins, but Laurie is better.
As for Eliza--can we show a little more imagination here? She'd look like an upperclass co-ed out slumming for the night. Kate Winslet, on the other hand, would be totally convincing as a down-and-out Cockney flower girl.
Posted by: Skreenz | December 22, 2008 at 09:45 AM
I actually think Gwenyth Paltrow could pull it off-and she can sing.
Posted by: Variety.com * | December 22, 2008 at 04:45 PM
There's an unknown young actress somewhere in England, a Billie Piper sparkplug type, who would be perfect for Eliza. Why not find the right person for the role and create a new star, rather than settle for someone established who would be an awkward fit at best?
Posted by: David C | December 23, 2008 at 10:12 AM
Gwyneth? please, she can't play poor street British. David is right, cast an unknown British actor who can actually do layers.
Posted by: Arthur Stein | December 23, 2008 at 11:58 AM
Hugh Laurie would be great as Henry Higgins, and not just because it would be a lovely Cambridge reunion (as awesome as that would be) but he because he can sing really well, and because he really would be able to pull off the character. The first time I saw MFL was when I watched it in an English class, and everybody all agreed how perfect Laurie would be as Higgins. It's fate!
Posted by: dee | December 28, 2008 at 11:03 PM
Besides, Rowan's gonna play Fagin in Cameron Mackintosh's Oliver! in 2009!
Fagin, one of the Cockney roles with their singing lines!!
Sorry, but can Statham sing?
& can Cleese sing with a Cockney accent?
& Eliza? I think they've already decided to get Keira Knightley, who's already begun singing lessons.
Posted by: Hugh | December 29, 2008 at 04:31 AM
...I mean, I think it's too late about Eliza
Posted by: Hugh | December 29, 2008 at 04:38 AM
I think Hugh Laurie would be perfect for the role of Henry Higgins. He has a great voice for the part, can sing really well and is a great actor. I'd love to see Stephen Fry as Colonel Pickering - the perfect reunion!
Posted by: Chris | December 29, 2008 at 05:02 PM
Hi, I'm italian and I'm a great fan of Dr House.
I think that Hugh would be just PERFECT as Higgins!
I've seen My Fair Lady sooo many times (in english AND in italian) that I've already thought about Hugh as Higgins.
For Colonel Pickering, Stephen Fry is the best choice ever, if you think about the empathy between Hugh and him!
But don't forget Alan Rickman.. ;)
And.. as Eliza Doolittle.. the beautiful Helena Bonham Carter: she CAN sing, she CAN dance, she CAN speak with a real weird accent :P
Why not? ;)
Posted by: Giulia | January 04, 2009 at 09:46 AM
Helena Bonham Carter is great but she's too old...Eliza's young and Higgins is much older...
Posted by: anne Thompson | January 04, 2009 at 11:23 AM
I think Helena Bonham Carter is too old for the role Eliza.
According to Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion, Eliza is a late-teenager(maybe 18 or 19 yrs old).
Carter is 42, but Knightley is 23 yrs old this year.
Some early-20s take late-teenage roles, so Knightley is almost possible.
Posted by: Hugh | January 05, 2009 at 10:13 PM
I agree with Laurie as Higgins but wonder if he is a big enough star for Hollywood?
Posted by: James | January 17, 2009 at 09:44 AM
Hugh Laurie?
NO!NO!NO!NO!
Posted by: Bulah | January 24, 2009 at 05:39 PM
Jerermy Northam singing...or should I say the next Henry Higgins singing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipVj5H7ULBY
Posted by: tufta | February 18, 2009 at 05:27 PM
Hugh Laurie singing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBQAuw4NYLA&feature=PlayList&p=2F39E9EA402AAB60&playnext=1&index=8
Posted by: David C. | February 18, 2009 at 07:29 PM
The Other Hugh Laurie songs:
1. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=925vtPQ7g8Q
2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZqAPd2kaoQ&feature=related
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hRBmbss4qvo&feature=related
4. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raRQilFcriw
& Rowan Atkinson sings with a Cockney accent:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J8xpURXB720
Posted by: Hugh | March 03, 2009 at 08:45 PM
Keira Knightley has ALREADY SIGNED as Eliza Doolittle & NOTHING can stop her!
Hugh Laurie for MFL Higgins and Pygmalion's Pickering,
Rowan Atkinson(Edmund Blackadder!) for Alfred P. Doolittle,
Stephen Fry for MFL Pickering and Pygmalion's Higgins,
and Jeremy Northam or Rupert Friend for Freddy Eynsford-Hill!!!!
Miranda Richardson ... Mrs. Pearce
Miriam Margolyes ... Mrs. Eynsford-Hill
Simon Jones ... Butler
Tony Robinson(Sod-Off Baldrick!) ... "Wadaya tike me for, a fool?"
Adrian Edmondson ... Greek Ambassador
Rik Mayall ... Prince of Transylvania
Patsy Byrne ... Queen of Transylvania
Tim McInnerny(Capt. Darling!) ... Lord Boxington
BLACKADDER MEETS MY FAIR LADY!!!
Posted by: Hugh | March 11, 2009 at 06:07 AM
I agree with Arthur, somebody has to tell Keira Knightley to stop making period pieces. She has so changed since Bend It Like Beckham, where she was actually likable. But in the other films, she was great.
-peter
Posted by: acting classes north hollywood | August 15, 2009 at 09:52 PM
Keira Knightley in full "Domino" mode as Eliza. Trailer announcer: "This time Eliza Doolittle is gettin' PAID!"
Posted by: Grover | August 18, 2009 at 12:16 AM