Earlier last week, it was reported that Warner Bros. execs remained uncertain about their sci-fi tent pole “Gravity” being ready for an early 2011 shoot. The possibility of Alfonso Cuarón’s $80 million 3D space thriller being grounded came from Warner’s insistence that Angelina Jolie be involved, despite the fact that she had rejected the project once it moved from Universal.
Reportedly, the WB seemed uncertain they could move forward on the film without a “bankable” leading lady. Conversations and auditions happened with a list of names that, according to Deadline Hollywood, include frontrunners Natalie Portman and Sandra Bullock as well as Naomi Watts, Marion Cotillard, Carey Mulligan, Scarlett Johansson, Sienna Miller, Abbie Cornish, Rebecca Hall, Olivia Wilde and Blake Lively, with Rachel Weisz rumored to have become a possibility in recent days. We think a couple of these actresses could do a fantastic job in the role, but we were put off by the predictability, and the overall whiteness, of this cast.
We racked our brains and tried to find 10 capable actresses we’d love to see in this film, regardless of “bankability.” Our only qualifications were that she be talented and have the capability to hold her own with co-star Robert Downey Jr. for what is reportedly a brief amount of screen time. We also tried to avoid adding actresses who wouldn’t naturally benefit from the role, such as Oscar winners like Charlize Theron (who would still be pretty good in the role, if an overly obvious choice). Furthermore, the script states that the character is not distinctively young, but clearly a newcomer to space travel, and must be driven by a fairly young child waiting back on Earth.
So with that in mind, after the jump are our — or this writer’s anyhow — 10 choices for actresses who would be great to pilot Alfonso Cuarón’s “Gravity”:
Eva Mendes
When Eva Mendes came onto the scene, she seemed like just more eye candy, a luscious Latina following in the footsteps of Jessica Alba. Soon, it became clear that she remained capable of working in the mainstream but had no qualms about challenging herself, starring in a number of indie films and blockbusters in endlessly surprising roles. Mendes has a strength and assertiveness that fits the role of an authority figure or an action hero, so seeing her slip into the lead role of something like “Gravity” wouldn’t nearly be as strange as it was a few years ago.
Audition Reel: In “Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans,” Mendes had to hold it together as a drug-addicted prostitute who cleaned up by finding religion, giving the actress her most fully-realized role yet. Alongside a typically gonzo turn from Nicolas Cage, she more than held her own, which speaks strongly of her potential to match up with Downey Jr. in “Gravity.”
Lizzy Caplan
Caplan has built something of a fan base with her consistent TV work on a number of shows both failed and successful, including her breakout role in “Party Down.” Originally seeming like a discount rack Zooey Deschanel, Caplan has proven herself to be an able comedienne as well. Her only previous notable action experience was in “Cloverfield,” which gained mileage with every shot of her expressive eyes reacting to the carnage around them. Put those eyes behind an astronaut’s helmet, and you’ve got your poster.
Audition Reel: As the only female who wasn’t a total ditz in “Hot Tub Time Machine,” Caplan was not only a warm presence, but also clearly holding the material in contempt, seemingly the only performer to realize the whole charade was beneath her. It was her message to Hollywood that she’s ready for the big time.
Rosario Dawson
Dawson has been something of a star for awhile now, and while she hasn’t carried any major films, it’s clear that audiences would be more than familiar with the Puerto Rican bombshell. Dawson has diversified, popping up in a number of blockbusters while also dabbling in the indie world, and it’s undeniable she’s got cred with a number of filmmakers and producers at this point. What’s more, she’s been stuck playing “the girl” in a number of productions, but has clearly shown the chops to be more of a rough-and-tumble leading lady in fare as small as “Descent” and as big as Tarantino’s “Death Proof.”
Audition Reel: In the little-seen web series “Gemini Division,” Dawson more than held her own as an NYPD officer who finds herself embroiled within a dense mystery. Dawson has been stuck playing “the girl,” but she’s got the action pedigree of “Sin City” and “Death Proof” to prove that when cornered, she can be an imposing cinematic presence.
Asia Argento
Argento is a strange bird, a tough chick who has not been afraid of playing with the dark side. She’s long since registered contempt for big blockbuster filmmaking, especially after sleepwalking through “xXx.” But try to ignore her when she’s on-screen, and you’ll find it’s impossible. Even in completely pedestrian pictures, she’s consistently the most interesting feature about them. Her built-in sneer suggests she’s not really typical mother material (“The Heart Is Deceitful Above All Things” hammers this home), but this certainly doesn’t seem like your typical studio picture.
Audition Reel: It’s hard to say if Argento is more compelling in one film than she is in another, so you really can’t go wrong with her in a lead role, but you should be open to getting something a little out of the ordinary. And, lest we forget, whomever is cast needs to match wits with Downey Jr., and Argento’s one of the few who can guarantee that.
Michelle Rodriguez
Rodriguez has been toiling away in Hollywood for a little over a decade, working mostly in genre pictures as the token tough chick. But don’t forget her acting debut in “Girlfight,” a low-fi indie that put her on the map as a serious talent, not a scowl and a six pack. Rodriguez regularly outshines the female romantic lead in every screen appearance, and it’s about time she took center stage. Plus, if the WB is concerned about bankability, Rodriguez was in a movie called “Avatar” that a few people saw. We’re sure that probably helped her visibility a bit.
Audition Reel: In “Machete” Rodriguez played another ready-to-order tough chick, but for once, she also got to smile and have a sense of humor and warmth. For what it’s worth, she looked like the only woman in that film who would’ve enjoyed seducing 66-year-old Danny Trejo. We love us some Trejo, but that’s more than just an impressive feat.
Zoe Saldana
With “Columbiana” coming soon, where she plays the latest of Luc Besson’s muses, the world’s going to know a whole lot more about Saldana, the tough chick du-jour. Young, attractive, assertive, and with large roles in both “Avatar” and “Star Trek” last year, we’re surprised that Saldana didn’t even grace the WB’s list of actresses. Hollywood’s not kind to black actresses who aren’t in Tyler Perry’s stable, but we see big things for Saldana.
Audition Reel: Even though no one saw it, and it was somewhat forgettable, Saldana was a real firecracker in “The Losers,” and in a film with a pretty solid cast of leading men, she stole the show as the most volatile of the crew. Even with all those biceps surrounding her, Saldana, with her quick wit and sly beauty seemed like the most dangerous member of that onscreen team.
Samantha Morton
Morton, who’s transitioned into playing mothers of a significant age, is still just barely young enough to qualify for this picture. If you’re looking for a compelling onscreen talent, there are few that are in Morton’s class, as her outer vulnerability usually reflects an inner strength. And even though few have seen her smaller independent efforts, there’s no doubt Morton can very easily carry a film on her own personality.
Audition Reel: Morton’s done the sci-fi thing in a few pictures, though we’d heartily recommend “Code 46” as a strong showcase for her enigmatic appeal. It’s a race-against-time film from Michael Winterbottom, and Morton fills the silences with a panicked fear and a resolute determination even though the plot is powered by Tim Robbins’ paranoia. Of course, Morton shouldn’t need an audition reel by now, should she?
Elisabeth Moss
Whenever we’re fan-casting a major studio project, we raid the “Mad Men” cast in hopes that they’ll all be suitable for the role, whatever it is. But for “Gravity,” we tried to imagine who amongst the ladies in the cast we’d love to watch completely alone for long periods of time, and we couldn’t help but prefer Moss. As Peggy on the AMC series, she’s played ingénue, opportunist, and eventually, career-minded shark, while remaining one of the show’s more introverted characters. We’d love to see her on the big screen.
Audition Reel: Yes, her work on “Mad Men” is compelling, we can’t say it enough. But we were also surprised by Moss in this summer’s “Get Him To The Greek,” where she was funny and extremely relatable matched up against two scene stealers in Jonah Hill and Russell Brand. Considering how well Amber Heard fared in a similar role in another Judd Apatow-produced effort, “Pineapple Express,” Moss came off strong enough to get a shot at something meatier.
Michelle Williams
All these years after “Dawson’s Creek,” we’re surprised that the initially unassuming Michelle Williams is the cast member who’s become a real actor. Williams has displayed serious dramatic range in a number of films big and small, and is becoming a fixture whenever people discuss year-end awards possibilities. We like the indie credibility she brings to this project, naturally, but we also feel she’s got major untapped potential as an actress, and would love to see her nab roles like “ Gravity.”
Audition Reel: Williams is so, so good in “Wendy And Lucy,” one of the few movies in recent years to break our cold, cold hearts. Stuck behind an unfortunate kewpie haircut, she’s forced to carry the movie all on her own, featured in every scene as a woman facing daily indignities and struggling with heavily dwindling resources while caring for her only companion, her canine friend.
Sasha Grey
We question just exactly how much acting is going to happen in this film, as most of it will be effects-heavy, and dependent on reaacting to offscreen and imagined obstacles. As such, you might say a classically trained actor won’t be needed, which is why we’ve reached into left field for Grey, the adult film superstar-turned-multimedia personality. Grey isn’t exactly the type of actress that comes up when you consider, well, any classical attributes, but it’s easy to see why the camera loves her face, with her angular, almost boyish features suggesting movie star intelligence, if not exactly charisma. Put Grey onscreen, and she’ll play a character that will defy gender stereotypes with a face that registers no apprehension and a steely voice that belies her inexperience. Oh, and bankability? Is it a stretch to assume her, ahem, sales numbers are in the same ballpark as the box office grosses for a number of the actresses rumored for this role?
Audition Reel: Okay, you’ve got us there.