Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Angelina Jolie Is Dr. Kay Scarpetta - Kind Of


First of all, why did I think Angelina Jolie was older than 33 years old? Doesn't she seem like she has been around forever? Hackers was like 15 years ago so you would think she would be older than 33. Maybe it is because she was married to the old guy who we try not to talk about anymore. Anyway, that isn't the point of the post, but doesn't it seem like she should be at least 40?

So, Angelina signed on to be Dr. Kay Scarpetta which is the main character in the series written by Patricia Cornwell. To me, this seemed like a pretty good choice. She can just crank out one of these movies every couple of years, rake in the bucks and lead a pretty good life. She has said in interviews she was not going to act as much, and a successful franchise allows you to do that.

The thing is, I really don't understand why even bother to use the name Kay Scarpetta and pay Patricia Cornwell the big bucks. Oh, I would understand if they were going to base the movies on one of her 16 books, but they aren't. Nope. They are just going to make up a story for each movie. They are paying big bucks just for the name. It seems to me you can invent your own franchise if you are going to be making up stories from scratch anyway.

Maybe fans of the books will like this better because each one of Cornwell's books won't be destroyed, but at the same time an original script and you might see things about the character that have never been in the books.

Whatever it is, look for Angelina to be doing this for the next five years.

38 comments:

CANDACE said...

i'd rather someoe else play this part.:/ i'm tired of angelina jolie.

Anonymous said...

I thought they were going to bring her books into the movie. Oh well. My husband likes the Cornwell books a lot not sure if he will like the idea of Angelina playing the character of Kay Scarpetta. He is not an Angelina fan.

JagerLilly808 said...

No, no, no! Kay Scarpetta is a tall, blonde, amazon type. Scarpetta cooks - and more importantly - eats - and is built like someone who could kick your butt but still fill out a suit quite nicely. Angelina Jolie is beyond wrong for this part. As bad as, if not worse than, Tom Cruise as the Vampire Lestat. Yuck and double yuck.

bonnjill said...

I picture Scarpetta to be someone like Frances McDormand - not Jolie. Ugh!

Sadie said...

I'm a huge Patricia Cornwell fan and have read and re-read all her books. AJ is NO Kay Scarpetta. Not today, tomorrow or any other day. Tsk tsk.

selenakyle said...

I'm surprised Cornwell is finally letting there be movies made of/from her characters or books.

I thought she always said she wouldn't allow it.

The good life must be getting expensive for her like it is for all of us...

Taylor said...

I've always pictured Scarpetta as looking like Patricia Cornwell. I wonder if Cornwell has approval on the casting?

selenakyle said...

And I agree with y'all--AJ is no Scarpetta, at least not in my mind.

I've read them all too, except maybe the last one and a couple that didn't have the usual Scarpetta characters in them.

Plus, to be the ME of a whole state one must go through many vigorous years of both med and law school, from which one can barely graduate by 33 years old, then work your way up the ladder, even though it's usually a political appointment.

But what the hell am I saying? H'wood is so far removed from reality it makes me sick.

Charlie Trainer said...

I KNOW I read something about Cornwell on here having some gambling debts or issues!? I figured we'd soon be seeing a glut of Scarpetta films just feared they be "Lifetime Television For Women" kind of films starring Meliisa Gilbert as Scarpetta. This is a bit better than I feared!

Sadie said...

You know...on a side note....When I first heard Heath Ledger was going to be The Joker I laughed...literally...and thought to myself no way in hell! And boy oh boy was I ever wrong about that.
I'm not a fan of AJ but we Scarpetta fans might all end up pleasantly surprised. Time will tell.
I also pictured Scarpetta being a dead ringer for Cornwell and agree that to become Scarpetta one would need extensive schooling and medical experience and couldn't possibly be 33. Try 50 something.

Dijea said...

I hate to say this but that sucks. I love Scarpetta and Angelina Jolie is NO Scarpetta. She would be a better Lucy. Personally.

NO NO NO. That pisses me off.

mikey said...

I may have really enjoyed the movie, since I do like the books, but I will not watch any movie with AJ in a lead part. I'm overdone on her and Tommy C. And yes, she does look older than 33! Must be all that clean living.

lutefisk said...

I just have to say Brad & Angelina are living about 4 miles from me until June, & people have been sighting them allover the place--
Dunkin Donuts, Stop & Shop, numerous trips with the kids to Borders--which I can walk to from my home, AND, the other night they went to a seafood restaurant with George Clooney for dinner.
I am dying here, because I never know where they may be!!!
Brad has also been jogging around in cardigans, not t-shirts & sweats, so he has been spotted daily.
I will be keeping my eyes open for the next 21/2 months!

FrenchGirl said...

when i think Kay Scappetta,i see Jodie Foster.I think Cornwell had been inspired by Clarice Sterling for the character Scappetta!

Sue Ellen Mishkey said...

Lucy should be played by Cynthia Nixon's woman, Rojo. And I think AJ is a ish choice for Scarpetta, I mean she is thin enough

Babs said...

Haven't read the Patricia Cornwell books, but for the same reason you've all mentioned, I refused to see "The Bridges of Madison County." Clint Eastwood should NOT have been cast in that movie!

J said...

No No No No No AJ will ruin the whole Scarpetta series, KS needs to be middle aged to have worked her way up to her position.

Sis said...

Love Patricia Cornwall books and I can totally see AJ in the role this will definately go on the "we'll see how it goes" list!

And I loved Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt as vampires (way before all the bs surrounding TC), now that was a vampire movie!

Anonymous said...

Oddly, she does seem a lot older than 33.

Miss(pdx) said...

I am in total agreement with Sadie on the age subject. Kay should be in at least her 40's! For some reason ( and I read many of the novels several years ago ) I always kind of pictured a " Romancing the Stone " era Kathleen Turner for Scarpetta. But, I will remain unbiased until the film comes out.

MISCH said...

THE FIRST FEW BOOKS WERE GREAT...NOW NOT SO MUCH..

sassenach said...

Luteifsk,

Have any of your friends seen them dining with George Clooney? I would think something like that would make it on People website or something.

lutefisk said...

yes Terrance, that is how I found out about it. A friend who lives in Bayville saw them at dinner, & at Dunkin Donuts.

nancer said...

i quit reading those books years ago. they started off ok and then she wrote too many and they sucked. i see no reason AJ can't play her though. m

the movies will suck, and she'll suck in them. same as always.

Vanessa said...

I never read the books but will reserve my comment about the role until I see the film.

But...to the person who said that Tom Cruise was crap as Lestat...they have truly lost their mind that was one of his best roles....that film is awesome he made that film and so did Kirsten Dunst.

Ms Cool said...

Hmm. Interesting choice. I, too, picture Scarpetta looking like the author. I don't mind AJ, though. Should I be embarrassed to admit I enjoy her films?

JagerLilly808 said...

I never said that Tom Cruise was "crap" as Lestat. I said it was horrible casting. When you read a book and get involved in the series, you "create" what that character looks like in your mind. Lestat was tall, blonde, pale. Pitt would have been the better choice, by far. And Dunst? That was before she turned into a freak. If anyone "made" that movie, it was Christian Slater.

That being said, I can see Uma Thurman playing Scarpetta. Check her out in today's Random photos. Cut the hair shorter, fill her out a bit and I think she could pass.

jax said...

damn. where's Carmela Saprano when you need her to kick some ass?

Charlie said...

I think Dijea has it right; AJ would be much more suited to the Lucy character, who is Scarpetta's niece. Lucy is an extremely independent, tough woman who grows up as the series progresses and becomes a techie-private detective-security type (if I remember correctly). She's also a lesbian and has some issues surrounding that and pretty much all the other relationships in her life.

Would not be a stretch for AJ at all.

Scarpetta on the other hand is a grown-up, full-fledged mature woman. The kind of professional respect she commands would not be bestowed on someone as young as AJ. Why do I suspect that the Scarpetta character will be morphed into a Laura Croft/Wanted hybrid?

I hate the sound of it already.

nancer said...

i remember some years back, cornwell was involved in a nasty divorce case where she was named as the other woman---she was involved with this man's wife. it was ugly. anyone remember that?

sassenach said...

Nancer, I do remember that. I also remember rumors that she had an affair with Diane Sawyer.

Ms Cool said...

I remember that divorce thing, too. I have to say that I HATE the Lucy character in the books and wish she would have been killed off.

Unknown said...

I swear she was 31 or 32 when she adopted Max... I think she's older than she says.

bionic bunny! said...

horrible, just horrible! not only do i despise AJ, i happen to love the scarpetta novels.
and i don't know where they are starting this movie, but lucy was quite young when the series started.
everything about AJ is wrong. it would be impossible to take her seriously, IMO.

Judi said...

She can't act. Period. These will just be more films I won't see. If she continued Lara Croft, I see those. She doesn't need to talk that much.
Yes, Jax. Edie Falco would be perfect.

Vanessa said...

Angelina Jolie was around 28 or so when she adopted Max...she was under 30 when she started her relationship with Brad Pitt.

Anne Rice took a full page out of Variety apologizing to Tom Cruise when she said that she thought he sucked and realized that he was awesome.

Christian slater didn't make that film...he was hardly in it....his role wasn't intricate it was just a way to get Brad Pitt to talk.

Brad Pitt was perfect as Louis.

Yes, I read the book and I don't understand why you wouldn't think Tom Cruise was horrible....but not say anything Antonia Banderas being Armand which was different from the book.

NicScott said...

First of all, it is WRONG on MANY levels that AJ would be playing Scarpetta.. I have read the series MANY times, as I can very much relate to her. Patricia IS Scarpetta. While I love to read books, I find that when made into movies, they are all but destroyed.. and the fact that they aren't even going to be using the content of the books!?!? WHY BOTHER!? I hope Patricia takes a good hard look at this and either 1) Decide NOT to sell the rights to just the name being used, or 2) Make the movies with a Proper actress and include the guts of the books as the story (including Marino, Lucy and Benton)...
PLEASE DON"T F*K THIS UP!! I cherish these stories, and couldn't bear for AJ to destroy them...
:(
This concludes my rant.. :) LOL

Anna said...

I know, the books say that Kay is blonde but to me, she's not! Are there even blonde Italiens?
I think, Angelina would be too tough, too cold as Kay. Kay is also tough but I feel like you would always be comfortable around her while Angelina rather makes me feel intimidated.
My first contact with Kay was an audio book (German) read by the voice over voice for agent Scully in the X Files so that's what Kay looks like to me!

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