2 months ago 08th Mar 08:15
Both Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johansson have openly bemoaned the lack of substantial, compelling roles for young women in Hollywood. It must have come as a pleasant surprise, therefore, when they came across a project that possessed not one, but two.
'The Other Boleyn Girl' sees Natalie and Scarlett play sisters Anne and Mary Boleyn, who battle for the affections of Britain's King Henry VIII, played by Australian star Eric Bana. Mary is his mistress and bares his children; the scheming manipulative Anne steals his heart and his hand in marriage. As anyone who paid attention in history class already knows, Anne's inability to bear children sees Henry repay her, as was his wont, by having her relieved of her head.
The battle of wills and the emotional rollercoaster of resentment and betrayal that comes with the feuding of two close siblings offers rich material for two of Hollywood's most intelligent, talented actresses.
Philippa Gregory's best-selling source novel of the same name was full of what Natalie describes as "catfighting", and the actress admits she couldn't wait to sink her teeth into the role once she realised it would be Scarlett she was scrapping with.
She revealed: "I said I only want to do it if Scarlett does it. I had watched her since we were kids, and she's always so good. You rarely get the chance to work with someone your own age that you so admire."
Not to be outdone in the mutual backslapping department, Scarlett gushed: "A major part of why I joined the project is because Natalie was involved. I've been a huge fan of Natalie's for a long time. I'd never had the opportunity to work on such an even playing field with my peer. It was a great opportunity."
Having been eager to join forces, it seems donning Tudor-era corsets and dresses further helped forge the bond between the two Hollywood stars.
More about Scarlett and Natalie: Hollywood's perfect peers on page 2
Your Comments:
Be the first to comment!