Taking on the lead role is Jim Sturgess, who previously starred for director Julie Taymor in Across the Universe. Luketic says that Sturgess is on the cusp of a breakthrough as a major star. "He's the complete package," says the director. "He's dramatically spot-on and comedically gifted, which is a rare combination. He has a real passion to him; as a director, I look for that passion, that love, that excitement, that need and desire. With that passion, in addition to his talent and his charisma, I knew he'd be perfect for the role."
Sturgess recalls, "I sent out an audition tape, not expecting anything to come of it. Then, I got a phone call saying that Robert wanted to meet me. We had breakfast together in London, I did a few screen tests, and then they offered me the part."
Sturgess says that his character has a "genius mind," but that's not enough. "He's at a point in his life when his brain can only take him so far," he says. "He needs something else about him, about his personality, to give him an edge - something more than just having good grades on a piece of paper."
In the film, the characters take on disguises to help them elude Vegas enforcers. For Sturgess, that was one of the most interesting challenges of 21: the chance to play many characters within one film. Sturgess says that his costume helped him find the role. "When you're in a classroom with a check shirt and a hoodie, it helps you feel like an M.I.T. student. When you're in the bright lights of Vegas in an Armani suit and thousands of dollars in your pocket, it definitely helps you to make the transition."
Producer De Luca says, "Jim is a find. I think he's going to be a major, major movie star. He brings innocence, vulnerability, and a brooding intensity that he can turn on when he needs to."
Laurence Fishburne adds, "Jim is a lovely young actor who has the stuff, has the talent, and is really committed to his craft. He gives you everything he has. That is what we actors do - we play off of each other. It really was refreshing to work with him."
Opposite Sturgess in the role of Jill Taylor is Kate Bosworth. After co-starring with Spacey in Beyond the Sea and Superman Returns, landing Bosworth for the role was as simple as a phone call. Bosworth remembers, "During Superman Returns, Kevin mentioned this project. Quite a while later, I was wrapping up another film and planning to take a holiday when Kevin called. His exact words-'Will you please come play in Vegas and Boston?' It was quite difficult to say no."
Describing the appeal of the project, Bosworth says, "Everyone likes to see a group of ordinary people beat the system and that's what these kids did. It's extraordinary, almost unbelievable, but true."
In an ensemble film like 21, Bosworth says, the relationship between the actors is as important as the actors themselves. "Because the story is about a group of kids who have known each other for a long time, who trust each other completely, this movie really depends upon the chemistry of the cast to pull that off," she says.
"Kate is a movie star - she brings her megawatt charisma and Hollywood glamour to that role," says De Luca. "But she also has gravity, bringing a level of character acting that you don't find in too many actresses. We were lucky to have her."
"It's always a pleasure to work with Kate," says Spacey. "She's very beautiful, fiercely intelligent, incredibly talented, and a load of fun to hang with in Vegas for three weeks. I was thrilled that it worked out."
Spacey, of course, always intended that he would play the supporting role of Micky Rosa, the mad genius and stats nut who puts together the M.I.T. team in the film. "The character is an amalgamation," he notes. "The character is a combination, a compilation of several real people and imagination - partly my imagination, I hope, since I play him."
Spacey says that with no real math skills upon which to base his performance, "this is acting at its best. Actually, I failed basic math in my last semester in high school, so the idea that I could count cards is fairly ludicrous. Still, I hope, you believe it."
Laurence Fishburne, a seasoned veteran with a huge fan base, was also happy to join the cast, thanks to Spacey's involvement.
He offers, "I've known Kevin Spacey for a long time. We travel in the same circles and have mutual friends. I've admired and respected him, but we never worked together before so I was excited at the chance to come and play with him."
"I'm not a big gambler, but there's something sexy about that life and the gambling culture," adds Fishburne. "Playing this part is a way to be involved in that world."
Spacey says, "I've always wanted to work with Laurence Fishburne. One of the things I admire about him is the places he goes to create his characters, giving them a history, depth, and weight."
Aaron Yoo, who co-starred in last year's blockbuster hit Disturbia, was cast as Choi. Liza Lapira, most recognized for her turn in the Showtime series Huff, plays Kianna. Jacob Pitts, who starred in the comedy Eurotrip, is Fisher.
Yoo says, "I read the book when it came out and later found out that Kevin Spacey had optioned it. I called my agent and said that I hoped there was a part in this movie for me, if it ever gets made. Well, years later, I'm in Sundance, insanely busy, when my agent calls - can you make an audition tape and FedEx it to L.A. They want you for that project you told me about a million years ago. I ended up flying straight from Park City to Vegas for the table read. It was out of control."
Yoo adds that he was excited about the way 21 told its story in an entirely fresh and original way. "In my experience, college is all about separating yourself from what you were and figuring out what you are. There's something about that in this movie that I grab onto."
Lapira says that she was astounded by the chance to work with Kevin Spacey. "I was so excited to find out that I got this role with Kevin in the movie. I know it's a cliché thing to say, but just watching him work, I learned a lot."
Pitts says that the attraction for him was the way that the film was different from so many other current films set in Las Vegas. "So many movies set in Vegas are full of hard-boiled characters, jaded by the world they live in. In 21, the characters are, essentially, kids. They are living the lifestyle, but without the pain behind it. The movie is about their introduction to that side of the city - their innocence going through a grinder."
No comments:
Post a Comment