I’m trying not to drool as I write this. Variety reports that Javier Bardem has been cast in the movie version of Elizabeth Gilbert’s monster bestselling memoir Eat, Pray, Love as “Felipe” (his real name is Jose), the irresistible man she meets in Bali. Julia Roberts had already been cast as Gilbert, with Richard Jenkins playing her friend Richard from Texas (who answered a few questions for me about that here).
Though Bardem is not old enough—he’s younger than Roberts when Felipe is significantly older than Gilbert—he would be a compelling reason for Gilbert to break her self-imposed celibacy. Viewers would nod their heads and say, “It’s okay, you tried but we understand.”
Any other EPL fans out there? What do you think of this casting? (UPDATE: Click here for my review of Gilbert’s follow-up, Committed.)
11 Comments
Shelley P
June 8, 2009 at 12:37 amPCN, I’d be happy to have him cast as pretty much anything {except for an old man baby}. Permit me to say, “Hubba Hubba.” Repeatedly.
popculturenerd
June 8, 2009 at 8:35 amI think you and I are twins. We like the same people—Robert Downey Jr., Hugh Laurie, Hugh Jackman, Simon Baker and now Mr. Bardem.
Shelley P
June 9, 2009 at 4:49 amWe must share a ‘hottie appreciation’ gene. 😉
EnduringLove
June 8, 2009 at 9:18 amHi PCN – I don’t know the book–I’m behind on my reading. I take it you recommend? Am getting my summer reading list together now, when I’ll actually have time to read! Love Bardem and will definitely check this out.
popculturenerd
June 8, 2009 at 9:30 amHi, EnduringLove,
Yes, I do recommend this. It’s an engaging, funny read but full of substance, too. Everyone I’ve recommended it to has loved it.
What kind of books do you enjoy? I’d be happy to make additional recommendations if you’d like. Putting together a summer reading list is so much fun!
Reader#9
June 8, 2009 at 11:54 amAm I a fan of Eat, Pray, Love? Who cares? It’s a movie with Javier Bardem and Julia Roberts!!! I’d go even if 3/4 of it included watching paint dry!
Julien
June 14, 2009 at 1:07 pmAnything with Javier worths watching!
And I’m all the more interested in this movie that it is adapted from a book you made me discover recently, PCN! So double thank you! 🙂
I’ve not read the book yet but I offered it to my mother last week!
popculturenerd
June 14, 2009 at 2:11 pmOoh, I’d love to hear what your mother thinks after she reads it! Did you give her an English or French copy?
And I agree—if Javier is in it, I will watch it.
Julien
June 14, 2009 at 4:44 pmDammit, I always miss the “reply” to your “reply”, PCN, and open a new thread, sorry! Then when I realize it, just after submitting my comment, it always gets on my nerves! I have to pay more attention!
By the way, I recently read an interview of Mrs Gilbert for a French magazine (published last year) and was quite happy to make the link with a book I’d been introduced to a few weeks before thanks to you! I felt smart and very well-informed! So that’s an other Thank you! 🙂
popculturenerd
June 14, 2009 at 6:59 pmIsn’t it funny how once you hear about something, you start seeing it everywhere even though you never noticed it before? I’d bet you’re generally well-informed anyway but I’m happy to have introduced you to something new.
Julien
June 14, 2009 at 4:38 pmI’ll tell you her opinion about it, no problem PCN!
I’m quite certain she will like it, but I do hope she will get the message from it! Like Elizabeth Gilbert, I’m sure she went through a similar phase at a moment of her life, dreaming of changing everything. But she just closed her eyes and kept on living the same way, suffering in silence like she always does…
I’d like this book to help her open her eyes and learn to be happy… Waow, great ambitions, huh?!
Wait and see!…