Casting Bits: Vinessa Shaw In ‘The Bitter Pill;’ Ray Liotta In ‘Better Living Through Chemistry;’ And Stanley Tucci In ‘Your Voice In My Head’
One of the last two filmsSteven Soderberghplans to shoot before retiring from directing isThe Bitter Pill, a thriller scripted byScott Z. Burns(The Informant!,Contagion) that follows a troubled and highly medicated woman (Rooney Mara) who is dealing with her anxiety pending the release of her husband (Channing Tatum) from prison.
The promising actressVinessa Shaw(Two Lovers, pictured above, and3:10 to Yuma) is now set to play the wife of one of Mara’s doctors, who will be portrayed byJude Law. AfterThe Bitter Pill, Soderbergh will move on to his Liberace biopic for HBO, and then he’s done. (So he says.) [Deadline]
After the break, Ray Liotta lives with chemistry and Stanley Tucci joins twoHarry Potterveterans.
Ray Liottais now set to be the rather unlikely husband toOlivia WildeinBetter Living Through Chemistry, whichGeoff MooreandDavid Posamentierwrote and will direct. The cast is solid:Michelle Monaghan,Sam RockwellandJudi Denchare all in the film that follows “a straight-laced pharmacist’s uneventful life that spirals out of control when he begins an affair with a trophy wife.” Rockwell plays the pharmacist.Better Living Through Chemistryshoots in May. [Deadline]
Finally,Stanley Tucciwill ditch the outrageous hair and oversize choppers he sports inThe Hunger Gamesto joinEmma WatsoninYour Voice in My Head, which reunites theHarry Potteractress with her four-timePotterdirectorDavid Yates.
The film is based on a memoir of the same name byEmma Forrest(who also scripted) and follows a young woman (Watson) whose relationship with a journalist falls apart, leading to a suicide attempt and deep connection with a psychiatrist. Tucci will be her doc.Varietysays Warner Bros. sees the film as a potential 2013 Oscar contender, so while the project doesn’t yet have a green light, expect that to happen soon.
