Helen Mirren Cast in The Tempest

08-10-2008 13:15

Dame Helen Mirren will lead the cast in the recent big screen adaptation of William Shakespeare's The Tempest.Director Julie Taymor has put together an eclectic cast that ranges from Oscar winners such as Mirren to more up and coming talent in the form of Ben Whishaw and comedians such as Russell Brand.While Shakespeare's well known play is based around exiled duke Prospero he has now become Prospera so that Taymor could cast Mirren. The revised story will now revolve around Prospera and her daughter, played by Felicity Jones, and a crew of her enemies that are shipwrecked.Inhabitants on the island include Ariel, played by British talent Ben Whishaw, and Djimon's deformed slave Caliban.Jeremy Irons takes on the role of Alonso, the King of Naples, Alfred Molina as butler Stephano and funnyman Russell Brand has been cast as a Jester and Geoffrey Rush is rumoured to be in negotiations to join the cast.Filming is expected to get underway in Hawaii in November.