Last fall, it seemed close to a certainty that French first lady Carla Bruni would appear in Woody Allen’s next film, set to shoot this summer in Paris. Word back then was that Allen had offered her the role in the middle of 2009, and Bruni later told Canal Plus television that she had accepted the part.
Well, with the summer looming, it appears Allen has gotten cold feet about casting Bruni. Speaking on Swiss television this week, the director said “Carla Bruni is not a woman who earns her living as an actress. She is a First Lady. She could be taken away at any moment by other duties, like a political crisis or an important event. I have to take account of the risks that there could be, and hiring her is far from certain.”
Among these risks are a looming political scandal which could threaten to overwhelm Allen’s low-key, lean and quick shoots. Both Bruni and her husband, French president Nicolas Sarkozy are said to be having affairs and Allen may not want his film set descended upon by paparazzi looking to catch a scoop.
That said, Owen Wilson, Rachel McAdams and Marion Cotillard are among the confirmed cast for the film that is set to shoot in Paris this summer. Allen’s latest film, “You Will Meet A Tall Dark Stranger” will hit theaters later this year via Sony Pictures Classics.
