While larger than life funny guys like Kevin James and Seth Rogen can command leading roles in movies, when it comes to women, the playbook isn't the same. Sure, women are allowed to be funny too, but generally only if they’re deemed skinny and attractive enough first. Hell, they even cast Renee Zellweger as Bridget Jones. But the tide is changing…
And that’s why it’s so refreshing to see Aussie actress Rebel Wilson starting to get a number of supporting comic roles. She’s starting to build up an solid resume after attention-grabbing roles in the likes of “Bridesmaids” (which also served as a launchpad for an unconvential leading lady in Melissa McCarthy), “What to Expect When You’re Expecting,” and the upcoming films “Pitch Perfect” and “Bachelorette.” Well now she’s gone one better and bagged the lead role in Miguel Arteta’s indie comedy “Unicorn Store.”
Variety describes the film as “quirky” and Wilson’s role as the “imaginative lead,” but other story details are being kept under wraps for screenwriter Samantha McIntyre’s debut feature. This will be Arteta’s first feature since “Youth in Revolt” and “Cedar Rapids,” after having spent some time in television land directing a number of episodes on a whole host of well-regarded shows. Wilson meanwhile has recently been working on Michael Bay’s “Pain and Gain” and the made-for-TV movie “Super Fun Night,” which she also wrote herself. So her horizon just keep expanding, and we're excited to see what she cooks up here with Arteta. [Variety]
