Jodie Comer tipped to star as Josephine opposite Joaquin Phoenix as Napoleon Bonaparte in Ridley Scott epic
She’s played an English princess and a psychopathic assassin on her way to stardom.
And now Jodie Comer looks set to play Josephine, the wife of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte, in an upcoming biopic from Ridley Scott.
According to Deadline.com, who reported the casting news Tuesday, Scott became convinced the British actress was right for the part after working with her on his period drama the Last Duel.
In demand: Jodie Comer is director Ridley Scott’s first choice to play Napoleon Bonaparte’s great love Josephine in a movie about the French Emperor, Deadline reported Tuesday
In The Last Duel, Comer plays a French noblewoman opposite Matt Damon, Adam Driver and Ben Affleck in a based-on-a-true-story drama set during the reign of the French King Charles VI.
Production on the movie was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic but was finally completed late last year.
Scott has already tapped his Gladiator star Joaquin Phoenix to play Napoleon and Deadline reports that Scott is convinced that Comer is the perfect choice to star opposite him.
On set: Comer worked with Scott on period drama The Last Duel, playing a French noblewoman in the film starring Matt Damon and Adam Driver (pictured filming in Ireland in 2020)
Ambitious project: Scott is making the film titled Kitbag for Apple Studios and it’s billed as ‘an original and personal look at Napoleon’s origins and his swift, ruthless climb to emperor’
Josephine, whose first husband was guillotined during the French Revolution, married Napoleon in 1796 when she was 33 and he was 27.
Phoenix, who won an Oscar last year for Joker, is 46 while The White Princess and Killing Eve star is 27.
Scott is making the film titled Kitbag for Apple Studios and it’s scheduled to be his next project after he completes work on the currently filming House Of Gucci for MGM.
Plays emperors: Scott has already tapped his Gladiator star Joaquin Phoenix (pictured with Russell Crowe) to star as Napoleon
History: Josephine, whose first husband was guillotined during the French Revolution, married Napoleon in 1796 when she was 33 and he was 27. He became Emperor in 1804
Hollywood casting: Phoenix, who won an Oscar last year for Joker, is 46 while The White Princess and Killing Eve star Comer is 27
Kitbag is billed, according to its IMDb listing, as ‘an original and personal look at Napoleon Bonaparte’s origins and his swift, ruthless climb to emperor, viewed through the prism of his addictive and often volatile relationship with his wife and one true love, Josephine.’
The screenplay comes from David Scarpa, who wrote the script for Scott’s All the Money in the World.
Comer is currently filming the British TV movie Help set in a care home in the actress’ native Liverpool during the coronavirus crisis.
High-profile role: Comer won an Emmy for her performance as psychopathic assassin Villanelle in the critically-acclaimed series Killing Eve
Got noticed: The British actress’ breakthrough came when she played Elizabeth of York in The White Princess TV series
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