<strong>the</strong> RepoRt Keating in Cannes <strong>to</strong> Support Goddess Irish pop star makes big-screen debut in Aussie musical comedy By Stuart Kemp Irish pop star ronan Keating is used <strong>to</strong> globetrotting <strong>to</strong> perform. But even by <strong>the</strong> singer’s standards, his trip <strong>to</strong> Cannes <strong>to</strong> support <strong>the</strong> market debut of <strong>the</strong> Australia-set musical comedy Goddess, which also marks his acting debut in <strong>the</strong> Marche du Film, shows impressive commitment. <strong>The</strong> Irish musician, currently a judge on <strong>the</strong> X Fac<strong>to</strong>r in Australia, jumped on a plane after finishing up <strong>the</strong> auditions shows, flying via Singapore and London overnight <strong>to</strong> get <strong>to</strong> Cannes <strong>to</strong> help create a song and dance for buyers. But Keating, who had never been <strong>to</strong> Cannes before, is keen <strong>to</strong> add more film turns <strong>to</strong> his showbiz career and hopes that his inaugural screen performance will give him an in for more. “Music is my love and life and I will never s<strong>to</strong>p that,” Keating <strong>to</strong>ld THR between planes. “But this film is my foot in <strong>the</strong> door and I can’t wait <strong>to</strong> get <strong>the</strong>re [Cannes] and support this film.” Keating, who has had numerous hits and recorded a version of “When You Say Nothing At All” for <strong>the</strong> Julia Roberts starrer Notting Hill, which hit No. 1 in <strong>the</strong> U.K., is passionate about moving in<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> movies. But he doesn’t know what <strong>to</strong> expect from <strong>the</strong> film industry. “I Hurricane <strong>Read</strong>ies Punk Drama Two Sevens Clash By Stuart Kemp UK.-based production banner hurricane FilMs has sealed a co-production deal with German outfit ostlicht filmproduktion for a coming-of-age tale Two Sevens Clash from writer and direc<strong>to</strong>r Mark Jay (Dolphins). Set in north London in 1977 against a backdrop of a divided Britain, it details <strong>the</strong> s<strong>to</strong>ry of 16-year-old Orthodox Jewish boy who escapes family pressures by plunging in<strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> love of punk rock. Hurricane is run by producers Roy Boulter and Sol Papadopoulos who brought Terence Davies’ Of Time And <strong>the</strong> City <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> Cannes Film Festival in 2008. Boulter and Papadopoulos met ostlicht producers Marcel Lenz and Guido Schwab via Full ON Production¹s Nigel <strong>The</strong>w and Mark Jay in Berlin and concluded <strong>the</strong> co-production pact during <strong>the</strong> Marche du Film in Cannes. Hurricane is also currently documenting Mick Jones of <strong>The</strong> Clash’s latest project <strong>The</strong> Justice Tonight Band, of which Boulter is also a member. Boulter said: “To be playing and filming Mick is a great buzz and honor and <strong>to</strong> hear him praise Two Sevens Clash after reading it was an equal thrill, and he has pledged his support for <strong>the</strong> project along with Don Letts legendary documenter of <strong>the</strong> punk scene.” Papadopoulos said: “<strong>The</strong> fact that Mark [Jay] was so involved in <strong>the</strong> early days of punk (actually attending <strong>the</strong> infamous Sex Pis<strong>to</strong>l’s Jubilee boat party) brings a real au<strong>the</strong>nticity <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> material, which was a huge attraction for us.” thr Keating, who performs one song in <strong>the</strong> film, is hoping his performance will lead <strong>to</strong> more work on <strong>the</strong> big-screen. 4 imagine it is quite like <strong>the</strong> music industry,” Keating wondered. <strong>The</strong> movie’s lead, Broadway star Laura Michelle Kelly, is also traveling <strong>the</strong> French Riviera for <strong>the</strong> first time. She <strong>to</strong>ld THR she is looking forward <strong>to</strong> <strong>the</strong> “fun and hard work” she is anticipating. <strong>The</strong> musical <strong>the</strong>ater star, whose resume boasts Mary Poppins and Tim Bur<strong>to</strong>n’s Sweeney Todd, is also hoping that more movie roles will be a part of her future. “To be honest I’ve got <strong>the</strong> film bug now,” Kelly said. “I found doing a movie so different <strong>to</strong> doing Broadway or a West End [London] show. Making a film was really challenging and I can honestly say it was <strong>the</strong> hardest thing I have ever done. <strong>The</strong>re was a lot of pressure but I had so much fun.” Directed by Mark Lamprell, Goddess is based on a screenplay by Lamprell and Joanna Weinberg with Judy Morris (co-direc<strong>to</strong>r of Happy Feet) as musical direc<strong>to</strong>r. It details <strong>the</strong> s<strong>to</strong>ry of a young housewife’s unexpected path <strong>to</strong> stardom and fortune which leads <strong>to</strong> a very difficult choice between fame and family. Sales and finance banner Ealing Metro International is selling <strong>the</strong> movie that also features Magda Szubanski (TV’s cult comedy Kath & Kim). <strong>The</strong> project’s executive producers Village Roadshow will distribute <strong>the</strong> film in both Australia and New Zealand. thr McAdams <strong>to</strong> Star in Working Title’s About Time Actress is in negotiations <strong>to</strong> star in <strong>the</strong> latest romcom from Brit filmmaker Richard Curtis By Borys Kit Rachel McadaMs is in negotiations <strong>to</strong> star in About Time, <strong>the</strong> latest romantic comedy from British filmmaker Richard Curtis. Curtis, who wrote and directed Love Actually and penned Bridget Jones’s Diary, wrote <strong>the</strong> About Time script and is directing. <strong>The</strong> s<strong>to</strong>ry is described as a fantastical feel-good movie about a man and his ability <strong>to</strong> travel back in time. He eventually meets <strong>the</strong> girl of his dreams. Domhnall Gleeson, son of ac<strong>to</strong>r Brendan Gleeson, will play <strong>the</strong> male lead. Bill Nighy, Tom Hollander, Margot Robbie, Lydia Wilson and Vanessa Kirby are set <strong>to</strong> co-star. McAdams would play <strong>the</strong> dream girl, a role Zooey McAdams Deschanel had once been attached <strong>to</strong> play. Production is set <strong>to</strong> begin in London in June. Working Title’s Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Liza Chasin and Amelia Granger are producing. McAdams is coming off a starring turn in <strong>The</strong> Vow, <strong>the</strong> romantic drama with Channing Tatum. After she shoots About Time, McAdams will make Most Wanted Man, a thriller that An<strong>to</strong>n Corbijn is attached <strong>to</strong> direct. That movie has a tentative September start date. She next will appear in <strong>the</strong>aters in Terrence Malick’s untitled latest project, whose all-star cast also includes Ben Affleck, Javier Bardem and Rachel Weisz. McAdams is repped by UTA. thr day6_news4.indd 1 5/20/12 9:26 PM
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