(You would have hoped they would have picked a Japanese woman to play
the japanese lead...)
From:
CNN.com
http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/Movies/08/20/film.memoirsofageisha.ap/
index.html
'Memoirs' finds its 'Geisha'
Saturday, August 21, 2004 Posted: 2:11 AM EDT (0611 GMT)
LOS ANGELES, California (AP) -- 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.