It’s official… Gael García Bernal will star in his first English-language television series…
Amazon has ordered the 35-year-old Mexican actor’s comedy series Mozart in the Jungle pilotto series.
The Paul Weitz-directed pilot was scripted by Roman Coppola,Jason Schwartzman and Alex Timbers.
The story was inspired by Mozart in the Jungle: Sex, Drugs, and Classical Music, oboist Blair Tindall‘s 2005 memoir of her professional career in New York, playing various high-profile gigs with ensembles including the New York Philharmonic and the orchestras of numerous Broadway shows.
In addition to García Bernal as ‘Rodrigo’ a fictionalized version of conductor Gustavo Dudamel, the half-hour comedy series also stars Malcolm McDowell, Saffron Burrows and Bernadette Peters.
The dramatic comedy was written by Oscar-nominated writer and director Roman Coppola (Moonrise Kingdom, The Darjeeling Limited), actor and musician Jason Schwartzman (Saving Mr. Banks, Moonrise Kingdom, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World), and Tony-nominated writer and director Alex Timbers (Peter and the Starcatcher).
The project is based on the memoir Mozart in the Jungle by Blair Tindall.
It’s all about sex, drugs—and classical music—and shows that what happens behind the curtains at the symphony can be just as captivating as what happens on stage.
Paul Weitz (About a Boy, Admission) directed the pilot and executive produced.
In addition to Garcia Bernal, the series stars Saffron Burrows, Lola Kirke, Malcom McDowell, Bernadette Peters and Peter Vack.
She steals the spotlight in the critically acclaimed The Artist… And, now Bérénice Bejo is reaping the rewards of her show-stopping performance in the silent film.
The 35-year-old Argentine actress and her co-star Jean Dujardin will receive the Cinema Vanguard Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival.
Set in 1927 Hollywood, The Artist—which has already garnered plenty of pre-Oscar buzz—centers around silent movie star George Valentin, who wonders if the arrival of talking pictures will cause him to fade into oblivion as he sparks a relationship with Peppy Miller, a young dancer set for a big break.
“We are grateful to the Santa Barbara International Film Festival for this incredible honor,” remarked Dujardin. “Delivering a silent film to the 21stcentury is no easy task, and it would have in no way been possible without the talent and dedication of the incredible ensemble of actors we had the pleasure of working with: James Cromwell, John Goodman, Penelope Ann Miller, Missi Pyle and Malcom McDowell. This award is just as much for them as it is for us.”
The award was established to recognize actors who’ve forged their own path by taking artistic risks and making significant and unique contributions to film.
Previous award recipients include Nicole Kidman, Vera Farmiga, Kristin Scott Thomas and Ryan Gosling.
Bejo, who has previously appeared in A Knight’s Tale, will receive her award at a special tribute event on Saturday, February 4, 2012. Meanwhile, the film festival will run from January 26 – February 5, 2012.
