We all already know that Keira Knightley is a fair lady, but now she is the Fair Lady. The 24-year-old English actress has landed the role of Eliza Doolittle in the new remake of the Academy Award-winning 1964 musical, My Fair Lady.
The original film, based on the Broadways smash, starred Audrey Hepburn as Cockney flower girl Eliza and Rex Harrison as the prickly, precise professor Henry Higgins. Keira reportedly beat out Scarlett Johansson for the iconic role. Other than Natalie Portman, it’s hard to think of another young actress who could possibly attempt to take Audrey’s place.
And this news just keeps getting better. The script is being written by — get this — Oscar-winner Emma Thompson. Yes, that Emma Thompson. Directing will be Joe Wright, who grew accustomed to Keira’s face when he directed her in 2005 adaptation of Pride & Prejudice. And James Bond himself, Daniel Craig, is being considered for the role of Professor Higgins. Wow, that’s some lineup.
Keira has reportedly been taking voice lessons in anticipation of the role, but it’s not confirmed yet whether the remake will also be a musical. Considering Keira has already played a bounty hunter, duchess, pagan warrior and pirate, I think a draggle-tailed guttersnipe who transforms into a regal lady should be no problem.
We can also hope that in the hands of Emma, the new script will have a somewhat less misogynistic take on the classic Pygmalion story than the original. So, what do you think? Wouldn’t it be lovely to see Keira sing about the rain in Spain?
