Remember the 1954 Judy Garland classic ‘A Star is Born’? Well, it would appear that the film is going to receive a 21st century update. According to Deadline, Oscar-winner and veteran director Clint Eastwood will direct pop star Beyonce in a remake of ‘A Star is Born’.
Naturally, news of this pairing has taken the internet by storm, mostly from shock. The mind boggles at the news, but what’s even more boggling is finding out what actor will play alongside Beyonce. E! has been throwing out potential names such as Robert Pattinson, Jay Z (Beyonce’s husband in real life), and Usher. Personally, I think a Denzel Washington or even someone like Forrest Whitaker or Anil Kapoor (whom you might recognize as the slimy Who Wants to be a Milionaire host Prem Kapur from Slumdog Millionaire) would better fit the part of aging movie star and discoverer of Judy Garland’s character Esther Blodgett, Norman Maine. In the original film, Norman is older than Esther and far more experienced in the ways of Hollywood, so the actor for the remake should also be older and (hopefully) more experienced with Hollywood; by casting an actor that fits this criteria, he’d be able to bring something of his own experience into the role.
‘A Star is Born’ is the tale of an up-and-coming singer/actress who is discovered by an aging star. As her fame rises, his career suffers from alcoholism and depression.