- Sigourney Weaver, Ghostbusters, 1983. The paranormal was, said Dan Aykroyd, his family’s business. That and having stayed in a house haunted by Mama Cass Elliott inspired his dark, futuristic update of such 40s’ comedies as Bob Hope’s Ghost Breakersand the Bowery Boys as Ghost Chasers – penned for John Belushi, Eddie Murphy and himself. Dan was actually writing a line for John when hearing about his shock death. (He said Slimer was John‘s ghost). “There wasn’t a girl in the first draft,” said Dan. “Romance is not for me. I’m not romantic.” Casting director Karen Rea recalled auditioning many women – I only know of Julia and Sigourney. “We didn’t necessarily want a name. Just the right chemistry to work.” Weaver had more than that. Ideas ! SAher suyggested that Dana be possessed by the demonic dog, Zuul, and at her audition, she went down on on hands ‘n’ knees, agrowled, barked, chewed cushions… using the comedic side she had developed at the Yale Drama School.
- Melissa Leo, All My Children, TV, 1984-1985. Melissa beat Julia to the role of Linda Warner on the daytime soap, later joined the Homicide series and returned to good movies in 21 Grams, 2003.
- Stacy Edwards, Santa Barbara, TV, 1984-1993. Another soap went down the drain – with it, the doubtful pleasure of being Hayley Benson.
- Meg Ryan, Innerspace, 1986. The very title comes from dialogue in the film that inspired this spoof: Fantastic Voyage, 1965. Hero Dennis Quaid is miniaturised into a capsule and injected into Martin Short’s butt. (Never that funny). For the secondary rôle of Quaid‘s girl, 22 actresses were seen, auditioned and/or tested: Karen Allen, Jamie Lee Curtis, Beverly d’Angelo, Jodie Foster, Linda Hamilton, Anjelica Huston, Amy Irving (being wed to exec producer Steven Spielberg didn’t help!), Amy Madigan, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Demi Moore, Michelle Pfeiffer, Molly Ringwald Julia Roberts, Rene Russo, Ally Sheedy, Elisabeth Shue, Madeleine Stowe, Sigourney Weaver, Claudia Wells, Sean Young. And, of course, Meg – and Quaid married her during 1991-2001.
- Nicole Kidman, Days of Thunder, 1989. Dr Claire Lewicki was aimed at all the usual misses. Roberts, Kim Basinger, Sandra Bullock, Jodie Foster, Heather Locklear, Madonna, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michelle Pfeiffer, Molly Ringwald, Meg Ryan, Ally Sheedy, Brooke Shields, Sharon Stone, Robin Wright. And a newcomer to such rosters: the Irish Alison Doody. They all passed what was a formulaic Tom Cruise movie – ie, all about Cruise as a cocky young talent, with an older mentor, older (even taller) woman, and surpassing his enemies… literally, in this chapter, as a Daytona NASCAR driver. He chose Kidman, after seeing Dead Calm, and promptly married her. And she learned about superstar formulas. When she begged time to study neurosurgery for her surgeon’s role, she was told, basically, not to be so silly.
- Frances McDormand, Darkman, 1990. About to sign on when a previous project, so long delayed that she thought it dead was ready to roll. Cue Roy Orbison: Pretty Woman.
- Elizabeth Pena, Jacob’s Ladder, 1990. For Tim Robbins’ lover, Jezzie, UK director Adrian Lyne saw Jennifer Lopez, Andie MacDowell, Demi Moore – and Julia Roberts – also shortlisted two years later for his Indecent Proposal. But Pena had him from the first audition. “Elizabeth is a beautiful and talented woman. I never gave it much thought where she came from.” (Cuba). Chicago critic Roger Ebert praised her as highly for “creating a believable and even sympathetic woman while at the same time suggesting dimensions that the hero can only guess at.”
- Francis McDormand, Darkman,1989. When young director Sam Raimi saw his dream project – The Shadow, based on Orson Welles’ radio character – go to Robert Zemeckis (finally, badly, to Russell Mulcahy), Sam created his own superhero from a mix of others and called him Darkman. Perfect for the new Irishman in town. Kelly Lynch was seen for the leading lady, but Universal wanted Julia Roberts. Trouble was she and Neeson had been recent lovers. Too recent. They had tears in their eyes during their audition. Her agent requested they let Julia go…. just as a a previous project, so long delayed that she thought it dead was ready to roll. Cue Roy Orbison: Pretty Woman. And as Sam shared a house with Fran, Joel and Ethan Coen, it was obvious who would Julie Hastings.
- Wendy Gazelle, Triumph of the Spirit, 1990. “I’m 23. I’m not ready yet to give up glamour roles.” No one suggested that. Just to play, this once, a Holocaust victim.
- Marcia Gay Harden, Miller’s Crossing, 1990. The Coen brothers tackle 30s/40s, gangster noir… Their 1988 draft had Kathy Borowitz, Linda Fiorentino, Laura Sametz and Diane Venora in mind for the gang boss’ moll, Verna. (He became Albert Finney). Jennifer Jason Leigh, Demi Moore, Julia Roberts, were later tested. But MGH was the best actress of them all. Only she and John Turturro actually played the roles suggested for them two years previously.
- Imogen Stubbs, True Colours, 1991.
Refused point-blank to work with Herbert Ross again – even after Steel Magnolias won her an Oscar nod. He is known for bullying, torturing his sobbing female stars. “You gave me a hard time,” she told him. “I was trying to get a performance out of you,” he told her. - Kim Basinger, The Marrying Man, 1991. Julia was keen on the Neil Simon romance once Disney dropped Herb Ross. Kim returned, fell in love with Baldwin and they gave Disney hell. Then they wed and. gave each other hell.
- Sofia Coppola, The Godfather: Part III, 1991.
- Sharon Stone, Basic Instinct, 1991.
- Alice Krige, Sleepwalkers, 1991. Sixth in the director’s frame,.Mick Garris wanted Julia for the 36th of Stephen King’s staggering 313 screen credits. She didn’t fancy joining an incestuous mother-son team of supernatural creatures moving to Maine (where else?) to hunt a young virgin to feed upon. From his days as an Universal publicist, Garris then recalled the South African Krige in Ghost Story . He would helm another six King stories. Oh, and King cameoed as the graveyard caretaker. What else? .
- Demi Moore, Indecent Proposal, 1992. Didn’t matter which lady accepted the role – Julia, Irene Jacob, Andi MacDowell, Sophia Marceau – the film had a fatal flaw. A zillionaire offers Woody Harrelson for a night with his wife. Mr Money Bags was Robert Redford. ’Nuff said?
- Patricia Arquette, True Romance,1992. “I’m not a whore. I’m a call-girl. There’s a difference, you know!”Quentin Tarantino created Alabama for Joan Cusack. UK director Tony Scott preferred Drew Barrymore, fully booked at the time. So Roberts, Bridget Fonda, Diane Lane, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Juliette Lewis Kyra Sedgwick, Brooke Shields and (inevitably) Uma Thurman were tipped for the girl… with the name, said QT, sounding like a Pam Grier role! Except she was named Jackie Brownwhen he directed her in 1997.In Tarantino’s first ending, Clarence was killed and Alabama would turn to crime with Mr. White – he’s asked about her during Reservoir Dogs, 1991.
- Dolly Parton, Straight Talk, 1992. The producer played it herself after waiting seven years for the likes of Julia, Goldie Hawn, Bette Midler to play the radio phone-in hostess.
- Laura Dern, Jurassic Park, 1992.
- Bridget Fonda, Point Of No Return, 1993. French réalisateur Luc Besson wanted Joel Schumacher to re-make his Nikita with Julia. “Only way I could honour his compliment to me is not to insult him by imitating him,” said Joel. “It’s too French and too soon. Why can’t they take all the millions they’ll spend on an US version and just promote the hell out of Luc’s orginal and get all America to see it.” Jodie Foster had little hesitation in refusing the re-hash (as cumbersome as its title). Likewise, Winona Ryder. New director John Badham (!) somehow spurned Halle Berry, Daryl Hannah, Nicole Kidman and Sharon Stone. And stuck closer to Besson’s film than gaffer tape.
- Meg Ryan, Sleepless In Seattle, 1993. . “I loved it!” Just not enough as The Comeback Movie after a two years hiatus, even if her Pretty Woman director Garry Marshall was musing about making it. Then, Nora Ephron rewrote it as When Harry Met Sally Meets When Sam Met Suzy Same writer, Nora Ephron. Same Sally – Meg Ryan in the second of three ephemeral movies with Tom Hanks. ..“Oh that’s good,” felt Roberts. “They’re not going to screw it up.” Also forgetting that romcoms are rarely plausible: Jodie Foster, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Nicole Kidman, Demi Moore, Michelle Pfeiffer. And a surprise Brit – Natasha Richardson.
- Mary Stuart Masterson, Benny & Joon, 1993. Julia and Tom Hanks were MGM’s opening gambit for the weirdo lovers. Next: Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon. Finally: Johnny Depp and MSM.
- Uma Thurman, Even Cowgirls Get The Blues, 1993. Too busy. Or, she was after reading it!
- Demi Moore, Indecent Proposal, 1993. Studio chief Sherry Lansing tried hard to persuade her out of her sabbatical… as a wife sold by her husband for a $1m for one night only with a zillionaire.
- Jeanne Triplehorn, The Firm, 1993. Why play second fiddle to lawyer Tom Cruise when she was first violin in another John Grisham legal thriller, The Pelican Brief.
- Wynona Ryder, House of Spirits, 1993. Danish director Bille August won top ladies Glenn Close, Vanessa Redgrave, Meryl Streep. But not Julia. He gave her role to his wife, Pernilla August – and then, having made her pregnant, he sent for Winona. And she alone of the Anglos stupidly cast as South Americans, stole the movie. As for the others (Glenn Close, Jeremy Irons, Vanessa Redgrave, even Meryl Streep), Roger Ebert made use of Mark Twain on women, swearing: “They know the words, but not the music. ”
- Madeleine Stowe, Blink, 1993. One of seven offers (this one from UK director Michael Apted) before deciding to come back with The Pelican Brief.
- Sharon Stone, Sliver, 1993. In the Robert Evans mix – simply to force Stone to agree. As in: Oh no, she’s not having my role…!!!
- Sandra Bullock, Speed, 1993. Although sharing the heroics and the driving of the bus-bomb with Keanu Reeves, most girls saw it as The Guy’s film. An amazing 36 refused to be Annie:Julia, Rosanna Arquette, Kim Basinger, Halle Berry, Glenn Close (!), Geena Davis, Cameron Diaz, Carrie Fisher, Bridget Fonda, Jodie Foster, Melanie Griffith, Daryl Hannah, Mariska Hargitay, Barbara Hershey, Anjelica Huston, Diane Lane, Jessica Lange, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Kay Lenz, Alyssa Milano, Demi Moore, Tatum O’Neal, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michelle Pfeiffer, Meg Ryan, Winona Ryder, Jane Seymour, Ally Sheedy, Brooke Shields, Meryl Streep(!), Emma Thompson(!), Meg Tilly, Marisa Tomei, Kathleen Turner, Sigourney Weaver and Debra Winger.
- Jodie Foster, Maverick, 1993. Roberts and Michelle Pfeiffer were first reserves in case Foster proved unavailable (like Meg Ryan) to join Richard Donner’s Western. Hearing that news probably pushed Foster into tackling then new Bret Maverick (she called him Bert): Mel Gibson. Plus a load of old tele-cowpokes: Henry Darrow, James Drury, Robert Fuller, Doug McClure, Denver Pyle, William Smith…and the original Bert, er Bret: James Garner.
- Wendy Crewson, The Santa Clause,1994. For the ex-wife of Tim Allen – the man who killed Santa! – Disney looked at Crewson, Roberts, Kate Burton, Patrica Clarkson, Sally Field, Jennifer Grey, Goldie Hawn, Patrica Heaton, Angelica Huston, Nicole Kidman, Mary McDonnell, Pamela Reed, Molly Ringwald and Ally Sheedy. Joe Dante, Richard Donner, even Steven Spielberg were Disney’s dream wishes to direct.Dante, Richard Donner, even Steven Spielberg were Disney’s dream wishes to direct.
- Julia Ormond, Sabrina, 1995. Director Sydney Pollack had little luck in landing A Name. Meg Ryan, Robin Wright also (wisely) refused to walk where Audrey Hepburn had so memorably trod.
- Linda Fiorentino, Jade, 1995. Never keen on the “misguided” idea of Julia and Tom Cruise, scenarist Joe Eszterhas told director William Friedkin: “By trying to rewrite it, instead of directing it, you are your own worst enemy – taking… a hit movie and turning it into a failed movie. Why?”
- Sandra Bullock, In Love and War, 1996. Julia was always UK director Richard Attenborough’s first choice, but the longer he waited for backing, the older she got. Finally, she preferred My Best Friend’s Wedding. Rightly so.
- Uma Thurman, Batman & Robin, 1996.
- Gina Gershon, This World, Then The Fireworks, 1997. US director Michael Oblowitz suggested real-life siblings for the twincestuous pair in Jim Tho mpson’s pulp thriller. “I wanted Julia and Eric but everyone freaked out at that idea!” Especially Julia and Eric.
- Jennifer Aniston, The Object of My Affection, 1997. First Julia, then Sarah Jessica Parker and Winona Ryder passed on the pregnant friend of a gay Paul Rudd in what Chicago’s ace critic Roger Ebert called it a seriocom – “the worst kind of sitcom – a serious one.” UK veteran Nigel Hawthorne stole the entire movie as a character not in Stephen McCauly’s novel.
- Nicole Kidman, The Avengers, 1998. Turned down Mrs Peel opposite Ralph Fiennes. Wisest decision of her life!
- Anne Heche, Six Days, Seven Nights, 1997. No sign of Harrison Ford when the plane crash was first slated for Julia.
- Gwyneth Paltrow, Shakespeare In Love, 1998.
Julia went good Will hunting… About six years before the film was finally made, Julia was cast as the Bard’s muse, Viola. She quit after failing, over a Dublin weekend, to persuade Daniel Day-Lewis to be Shakespeare. Bard timing! He was preparing for In The Name Of The Father, 1993, and when he’s doing one film, he never talks about another. Studio chief Tom Pollack is reputed to have complained: “Couldn’t she have waited to fuck himuntil we had his name on a piece of paper.” - Miranda Otto, The Thin Red Line, 1998. Numerous stars – Cage, Clooney, Costner, Depp, DiCaprio, McConaughey, Pacino, Pitt, etc – collided over themselves to offer their services (even for free) for wizard auteur Terrence Malic’s first movie since Days of Heaven… 21 years before! Others wondered if he still had “it”. He did. (And then lost it with one too many iconoclastic/pretentious pieces). Julia was seen by producer Mike Medavoy for Marty Bell, one of the three only female roles.
- Rene Russo, Thomas Crown Affair, 1999. US director John McTiernan wanted her for Faye Dunaway’s 1968 role but he was just a gun for hire. Pierce Brosnan was the star – and producer.
- Drew Barrymore, Charlie’s Angels, 2000. Here, Drew was the producer – making an estimated $100m from the two movies. That same year, Julia became the first actress to be paid $20m for asingle film – Erin Brockovich. (Got an Oscar for it, too!).
- Julianne Moore, The Shipping News, 2000. Columbia Pictures wanted Julia or Meg… First director Billy Bob Thornton wanted his gal, Laura Dern. Finally, the studio approved Julianne as Wavery Prowse.
- Catherine Zeta-Jones, America’s Sweetwearts, 2001. Ace critic Roger Ebert saw this messy look at Hollywood clichés as a new take on Singin’ in the Rain, even listing who plays who’s 1951 rôle. Such as Roberts as Debbie Reynolds. Oh really? (Much closer to the UK’s 1954 Simon and Laura). Originallly, Julia was offered, well, her own sister – an egomaniacal movie queen – but preferred to be her gofer sister, and the true love of her ex, John Cusack… as Gene Kelly. According to Rog. She should have gone for a tighter, funnier script.
- Kirsten Dunst, Spider-Man, 2001.
- Jennifer Lopez, Chambermaid, 2002. Now it was producer Julia! She said No to acting in the comedy – and Yes to her Shoelace Productions taking it over from John Hughes.
- Catherine Zeta-Jones, Intolerable Cruelty, 2002. Everyone had a line in it, even the Coen brothers, when director Jonathan Demme got interested – and obviously had it re-spun anew – with Julia-Richard Gere in mind as the gold-digger and the top divorce lawyer. Finally, the Coens made it with George Clooney and Catherine.
- Nicole Kidman, Cold Mountain, 2002. Both Julia and Natalie Portman and were discussed for Ada…. running the family farm while awaiting the return of her guy (Jude Law) from the Civil War
- Renée Zellweger, Chicago, 2002.
- Angelina Jolie, Beyond Borders, 2002. Julia, Meg Ryan and Catherine Zeta-Jones were seen for the London society woman in love with Clive Owen’s doctor in war-ravaged Ethiopia.
- Emma Thompson, Angels In America, TV, 2003. One of legendary director Robert Altman’s selections in 1994. Forever on/off, Tony Kushner’s two-part Broadway hit went on to PJ Hogan and Neil LaBute before Mike Nichols made it an exceptional HBO event.
- Nicole Kidman, Cold Mountain, 2003. Too cold, apparently.
- Nicole Kidman, Bewitched, 2004.
For inexplicable reasons, Hollywood kept trying to make a movie out of the 1968-1972 ABC sitcom about a good-looking witch and a Dagwood husband. In 1993, Penny Marshall was going to direct Meryl Streep as Samantha, then passed the reins to Ted Bissell and he died in 1996 when his Richard Curtis script was planned as Melanie Griffths’ comeback. Nora Ephron co-wrote and directed this lumbering version about an ego-driven actor trying to save his career with a Bewitched re-hash, but with the emphasis on him (of course) as Darrin, rather than the unknown he chose for Samatha because she can wiggle her nose… (You didn’t need a nose to know it stank). Over the years, 37 other ladies were on the Samantha wish-list. Take a deep breath… Kate Beckinsale, Sandra Bullock, Jennifer Connelly, Cameron Diaz, Heather Graham, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Angelina Jolie, Ashley Judd, Julianne Moore, Gwyneth Paltrow, Michelle Pfeiffer, Molly Ringwald, Meg Ryan, Winona Ryder, Brooke Shields, Charlize Theron, Naomi Watts, Renee Zellweger. Plus seven Oscar-winners: Kim Basinger, Tatum O’Neal, Julia Roberts, Meryl Streep, Hilary Swank, Charlize Theron, Reese Witherspoon… twoFriends: Jennifer Aniston and Lisa Kudrow…eleven other TV stars: Christina Applegate, Patricia Arquette, Kristin Davis, Teri Hatcher, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Helen Hunt, Jenny McCarthy, Alyssa Milano, Brittany Murphy, Sarah Jessica Parker, Alicia Silverstone… even Drew Barrymore and Uma Thurman, who had already re-kindled Charlie’s Angels and The Avengers. - Meryl Streep, The Devil Wears Prada, 2005. Sixteen other women were up for Vogue editor Anna Wintour (er, Miranda Priestley!) in the delightful look at the real fashion world, based on the tell-all by Lauren Weisberger, who used to work for Wintour (but claimed it wasn’t about her! Seven only had the wherewithall to match Meryl Streep: Jennifer Aniston, Glenn Close (fed up of villains), Angelina Jolie, Michelle Pfeiffer, Helen Mirren, Julia Roberts and Hilary Swank. “Sinfully funny, deliciously glossy,” said Rolling Stone critic Peter Travers. “Streep knocks every laugh out of the park More remarkably, she humanises a character who was little more than a bitch… on the page.” The remaining what-were-they-thinking candidates had been Kim Basinger, Cameron Diaz, Heather Graham, Lisa Kudrow, Tatum O’Neal, Gwyneth Paltrow, Meg Ryan, Alicia Silverstone and Naomi Watts.
- Sandra Bullock, Infamous, 2006. Very keen on portraying author Harper Lee in the second film within a year about Truman Capote. She quit when pregnant with her twins: Phinneaus and Hazel Moder.
- Meg Ryan, The Women, 2007. After 15 years trying to make her version of MGM’s magic, the fizz had left the bubbly for the TV Murphy Brown creator Diane English. Egos hit the fan during the 1996 read-through as both Roberts and Ryan fought over Norma Shearer’s old role. Reminiscent of the billing battles between Shearer and Rosalind Russell in 1938.
- Annette Bening, The Women, 2007. Julia would have been great in Rosalind Russell’s shadow, but wanted the other woman. Few of Diane’s cast(s) could match the 30s ladies. Not Candice Bergen, Debi Mazar, who stayed aboard, nor Marisa and Blythe Danner who split.
- Halle Berry, Things We Lost In The Fire, 2008. Once greatly interested in “best unmade script of 2007” by Chicagoan Allan Loeb, a compulsive gambler since age ten.
- Sandra Bullock, The Proposal, 2008. Allegedly, Julia did not see any reason why she should lower her normal fee for such an insipid romcom. Bullock became thje publishing tsarina, forcing her assistant into marriage to save her from deportation back to Canada.
- Sandra Bullock, The Blind Side, 2009. Ditto… Roberts quit a second consecutiuve gig to Bullock’s “benefit.” An uplifting true story but Roberts had more or less alleady been there before as Erin Brockovich in 1999 – and got an Oscar for it. A newly blonde Bullock took over Leigh Anne Tuohy, who changed the world of a homeless black teen in Mississippi. Sandra was worried about playing a devout Christian and then so badly (she thought) that she nearly quit. Guess who won the next Best Actress Oscar on March 7, 2010?
- Lynn Collins, John Carter of Mars, 2010. Julia was once due as the humanoid Martian princess Dejah Thoris rescued by Tom Cruise as a US Civil War somehow soldiering on – on Mars – when Disney first planned the film with John McTiernan directing, 17 years before. Now it was Lynn and Taylor Kiitsch among four-armed Green Martians in a live-action debut for Andrew Stanton (Finding Nemo, WALL-E). Celestial justice as back in 1931, it was Looney Tunes director Bob Clampett who nearly beat Disney‘s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, to being the first toon feature with a version of Carter.
- Salena Gomez, Monte Carlo, 2010. Age difference. Nicole Kidman and Julia were attached to the first script of the Headhunters, before it won a teen spin (what else with Disney money?) about twp Monaco tourists. One called Grace, the other is Kelly. (Owch!) Kidman stayed aboard as co-producer. And went on to play the village-sized country’s princess, Grace Kelly, in the 2014 Cannes festival opener: Grace of Monaco.
- Taylor Schilling, Atlas Shrugged: Part 1, 2010.
- Mia Wasikowska, Tracks, 2012. The first of various moves to film Robyn Davidson’s novel happened before Mia was born in 1989. Both Julia and Nicole Kidman had previously been up for the heroine – trekking through 1,700 miles of West Australian desert with four camels and a dog.
- Keira Knightley, A Dangerous Method, 2011. Sabina Spielrein, the young Russian coming between psychiatrists Carl Jung and Sigmund Freud with her serious psychological issues, was first scripted (the spanking and all) for Julia, 17 years earlier, by her 1995 Mary Reilly scenarist Christopher Hampton. When nothing ever happened to Sabina in Hollywood, he turned his script into a stage play, The Talking Cure, 2002, which is how director David Cronenberg came to hear of it…
- Emily Blunt, Mary Poppins Returns, 2017. When Walt Disney made the first Poppins, he mused over Bette Davis, Angela Lansbury or Mary Martin for Mary but by 1963, he had only one star in mind. Julie Andrews. For this reboot, Disney suits went through no less than 37 contenders… Two Desperate Housewives:Kristin Davis, Teri Hatcher. Two Friends:Jennifer Aniston, Lisa Kudrow. Two Brat Packers: Molly Ringwald, Winona Ryder. Two of the three authors of The Penis Song: Christina Aplegate, Cameron Diaz. Three sirens: Kim Basinger, Heather Graham Uma Thurman. Four ex-child stars: Drew Barrymore, Alyssa Milano, Tatum O’Neal, Brooke Shields. Ten Oscar-winners: Sandra Bullock, Helen Hunt, Angelina Jolie, Julianne Moore, Tatum O‘Neal, Julia Roberts, Hilary Swank, Charlize Theron, Reese Witherspoon, RenéeZellweger. Plus: Patricia Arquette, Melanie Griffith, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Ashley Judd, Gwyneth Paltrow, Sarah Jessica Parker, Michelle Peiffer, Meg Ryan, Alicia Silverstone, Naomi Watts. But just two Brits: Kate Beckinsale – and the winning Emily.
- Maribel Verdú, The Flash, 2019. Anthony Muscheitti, the It franchise director, thinks big. His wish list for the scarlet speedster’s mother (his father was accused of her murder) was very short: Julianne Moore or Julia Roberts. When both were booked elsewhere, he turned to the award-winning Spanish actress Maribel, known – of course! – for Y tu mamá también (And Your Mother, Too), 2000, akin to a Mexican take of the joyous French hit, Les valseuses, 1973.
Birth year: Death year: Other name: Casting Calls: 68