Spanish actress Elena Anaya has joined the cast of Pedro Almodovar’s upcoming film, “La Piel que Habito” (translated, “The Skin I Live In”).
A revenge picture based on crime novelist Theirry Jonque’s 2005 book, Tarantula, by all accounts this could potentially be the most shocking and provocative film of Almodovar’s career (see our synopsis and in-depth original piece for more). “It’s difficult to define and although it comes close to the terror genre — [it’s] something that appeals to me that I’ve never done,” the filmmaker told the trades last month. “I won’t respect any of its rules. It’s the harshest film I’ve ever written and [the main] character is brutal.”
The film is essentially about a plastic surgeon’s revenge on the man who raped his daughter. Yikes. The picture already stars Antonio Banderas as the lead and this reunion is long overdue; it’s been twenty years since “Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down!” launched the Spanish actor into international stardom.
While Anaya had a small part in Almodovar’s “Talk To Her,” given his penchant for beautiful female muses, we’re surprised it’s taken him this long to give her a lead part. This writer will admit when he first saw her in 2001’s “Sex and Lucía” he was practically dumbstruck with her beauty.
If you’re wondering what happened to regular Almodovar muse Penelope Cruz, he had originally announced the project with her in mind for the role back in 2002, but as is usual in the film world, things didn’t come together and with Cruz now busy swashbuckling with Johnny Depp in “Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” the director had to look elsewhere. Anaya’s star has slowly been rising with turns in Hollywood productions like “Van Helsing” and “In The Land Of Women,” and in the French gangster epic “Mesrine.” However, her role here will easily be her most prominent yet, and will definitely be a big international stepping stone for the actress.
Also joining the cast is Marisa Paredes (one of the leads in “All About My Mother”) and the picture begins its Spanish-set production in August. We expect more Almodovar regulars to be announced shortly and we hope Blanca Portillo (“Volver,” “Broken Embraces”) is among them. [Variety]
