Stage Beauty
Short description
Stage Beauty is set in seventeenth-century London, where women are barred from the stage and female roles are played by men. Ned Kynaston is the city's most celebrated performer in such parts, admired for his beauty and skill at portraying women. His dresser, Maria, has quietly supported his success while nursing her own ambition to act, which the law forbids her to pursue. When King Charles II allows women onto the stage, Maria gets her chance, while Ned loses the position his fame rested on. Their fortunes reversed, the two must work out what each can teach the other.
Richard Eyre directed the film, his second feature after Iris, and Jeffrey Hatcher wrote the screenplay. The cast includes Billy Crudup as Ned, Claire Danes as Maria, Tom Wilkinson as Betterton and Ben Chaplin as the Duke of Buckingham. Robert De Niro is among the producers.
Released in 2004, the film runs 106 minutes and blends comedy with romance. On IMDb it holds a rating of 7.1 from around 11,000 votes, and on TMDB 6.6 from a much smaller number, while a critics' rating of 6.7 from 126 reviews places it close to the audience scores.
What's left behind the scenes
- The protagonist, actor Eduard Kinaston, is a real historical figure, a star of his time. Rumors circulated that he was a lover of the Duke of Buckingham.
- The film is based on the play of the same name by Jeffrey Hatcher.
- According to Richard Eyre, when choosing an actor for the role of Ned, two conditions were important to him: firstly, the actor had to be handsome, and secondly, he had to have experience performing in Shakespearean plays, as it’s impossible to learn that overnight. Only 3-4 names were considered, and ultimately the role was offered to Billy Crudup.
- While creating 'American Beauty,' Richard Eyre was inspired by the photographs of Nan Goldin. Her photo shoots often feature transgender and transvestite individuals.
- For ten years, Eyre headed the Royal National Theatre, where he produced over 100 plays. He directed 'Othello' himself twice.
- After filming, Billy Crudup and Claire Danes became a couple in real life. They dated until 2006.
- The role of Maria was offered to Kate Winslet.
- During a dinner at the palace, King Charles II (Rupert Everett) tells the guests about the revolution and his father, Charles I. Everett previously played Charles I in the film “To Kill a King” (2003).
Auditions in India
Casting calls in USA
Castingi w Polsce
Кастинги в Україні
