It’s been rumored for some time now that Isabelle Huppert would be cast in Quentin Tarantino’s “Inglorious Bastards,” for some time now, but it was mostly message board chatter (that did appear informed, but…) so we steered clear of it until now.
Huppert would obviously play, Madame Mimieux, the French patrician doyenne of the cinematheque who takes the young protagonist Shosanna in when no one will take her.
It’s a brilliant casting choice and her icy demeanor would have been absolutely perfect for the role (we wish we would have thought of it). Would have.
According to the French press (via the ever-watchful eye of Tarantino archives) Huppert had been cast in the role (also confirmed in another French publication), but was then promptly fired because of her “diva” behavior. QT archives says she was shitcanned after she” failed to show up at meetings and took too long to answer.” The French Yahoo article also says Tarantino was “disgusted” with her behavior and chose to go seek out another actress instead of dealing with her B.S. Evidently, not “very enthusiastic” about the role, she apparently missed one meeting with the director entirely and then arrived to the second one late and when offered the role took too long to respond with a yay or nay (PS our mom’s speaks French and double checked for us and confirmed, thanks to Julien from Allocine as well).
Too bad, she woulda been fantastic. QT is apparently still on the hunt for the last major piece of the casting puzzle.
Christian Berkel Joins Cast
Military training for “Inglorious Basterds” evidently started on September 25. German actors Gedeon Burkhardt and the great Christian Berkel have joined the cast as well. Berkel is famous for playing evil Nazis and appeared as one recently in “Valkyrie” and “Miracle At Saint Anna” (He was also in the very excellent, “Blackbook”). He surely has a role as one of the more senior German commandants that Colonel Hans Landa (the main villain) reports to.
Apparently Brad Pitt’s Aldo Raine character is going to sport a tiny comical looking moustache.
According to French press L’Exress, Melanie Laurent (Shosanna) is in Los Angeles, where she’s actually learning to operate an old school film projector (her character would take over for the Madame at some point and run the cinematheque). Wait, she had to come to L.A. for that? Weird.
According to the same article Catherine Deneuve (our original casting pick for Madame Mimieux) was originally rumored to have been considered for the part. Maybe now that Huppert is out, she’ll have shot?
Other French actors once rumored for parts include Romain Duris (the lead in “Moliere”), Vincent Cassel (the ‘Ocean 12-13’ films and “Irreversible”) and Johnny Hallyday (a french iconic Elvis-like singer), but it appears none of them are in the film.
