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Zhang Ziyi to Star in 'Geisha' Movie
2004-08-22
Hong Kong movie 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' (2000): Zhang Ziyi |
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LOS ANGELES - After long years of development and some tricky Hollywood dealmaking, a movie version of the best-selling novel ``Memoirs of a Geisha'' is headed into production.The book became a sensation around the world when it was first published in 1997. The story chronicles a young girl's rise from poverty in a Japanese fishing village to life in high society. The lead role of Sayuri will go to Zhang Ziyi, the Chinese actress who starred in ``Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'' and appeared in the comedy ``Rush Hour 2,'' her publicist said Thursday. For those unfamiliar with the story, a geisha is a Japanese woman schooled in the art of dance, singing and conversation to be a companion for wealthy men. Zhang, 25, has been working to perfect her English for several years and now speaks the language with little difficulty. ``This is the first time that I will play the lead in an English-language movie. It will be a big challenge, but the studios, producers and director have shown great confidence in me. I will continue to do my utmost to make this the best role I've ever played,'' she told The Associated Press. Ken Watanabe, an Oscar nominee for ``The Last Samurai,'' will portray the Chairman, a high-powered executive with whom Sayuri falls in love. Another ``Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon'' co-star, Michelle Yeoh, has signed to portray Mameha, the elegant and experienced geisha who becomes Sayuri's mentor. ``Geisha'' will be directed by Rob Marshall, the Oscar-nominated director of ``Chicago.'' Marshall has long wanted to make this his next project, but was locked into a contract with Miramax Films, while Columbia Pictures and DreamWorks SKG held the rights to ``Geisha.'' After lengthy negotiations that threatened to block his participation, a deal was eventually reached among the studios. ``We could not be more excited about the extraordinary cast that we have in place for `Memoirs of a Geisha,''' said Marshall, who's also a Tony-winning director and choreographer. ``We are adapting a beloved piece of literature that has become a worldwide sensation, which made it important to me to assemble a cast with a prestigious international profile.'' For many years, Steven Spielberg was interested in directing the film. He will now serve as a producer. ``From the time I first read Arthur Golden's novel, I wanted to see this as a film,'' Spielberg said. ``It's a uniquely compelling story rich with characters who take you into a world you have never experienced before.'' Production is set to begin in the fall, but the release date has not yet been specified. AP
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