A huge congratulations to
Jamie Foxx who
Quentin Tarantino has just cast in the title role of his new spaghetti western
Django Unchained that
Deadline says films in November. If the negotiation formalities go off without a hitch (they will) the Oscar winner will play the black slave who is freed, trained under the tutelage of
Christoph Waltzs eccentric former dentist turned bounty hunter, and then becomes an all out Clint Eastwood style gunslinger, hellbent on saving his bride who is enslaved by
Leonardo DiCaprios evil plantation owner. The bride who might in fact be played by Foxx's Ray co-star
Kerry Washington (another good choice!) who
Variety say has met with Tarantino but she is only one of a few actresses vying for the part. As Broomhilda, Django's wife, the script requires her to play a multitude of different ranges from extremely vulnerable, to strong and to sexy/seductive. In the script she gets a whole story arc to herself, one of the few times the focus is away from Django and it's wonderful interlude moment. Can't wait to see it filmed and Washington is the perfect embodiment of the actress usually found in Quentin's movies. I could imagine her both as the Black Mamba from Kill Bill and also as one of the Death Proof ladies. Foxx, who I thought had given up on his career given his past few year choices and focus on music is finally back in the big time, taking on a controversial and challenging role that first choice
Will Smith pussied out of, and runners-up
Idris Elba,
Terrence Howard and
Chris Tucker failed to beat out Foxx in the final stages. Though I wonder if Tucker was ever seriously considered or whether he was just being humoured by his friend Tarantino. Elba was well known to be my first choice for the part and I actually hope Tarantino finds another place for him in his movie. There's gotta be a Woody Strode like role for him there somewhere? I said a few weeks ago when Foxx emerged as favourite;
Wow, what a prospect and its solid casting if it comes off, theres just no other way to put it. When Foxx brings it, when he truly brings that deep-seeded intensity that shoots out of his all of a sudden impossibly big eyes, that natural charisma and his ability to in a moment become the most dangerous man in a room (watch his character turn in Collateral when his humble character comes out of his shell and even gives Javier Bardem the heebie-jeebies to see what I mean), he is quite simply the man.
And let's not forget he won an Oscar for playing Ray Charles and took names in Jarhead. The Weinsteins will release the movie on Christmas Day 2012 (Sony overseas) and Django Unchained and the cast couldn't be coming together better.