Ledger, Gere, Blanchett: All Dylan?

Thursday , May 04, 2006
By Roger Friedman


Here's the word from the world of film: "Brokeback Mountain" star Heath Ledger is supposedly joining the cast of "I'm Not There," the Bob Dylan biopic in which six actors play the legendary singer-songwriter.

Colin Farrell is still listed with the cast, although he's spent much of the last few months either in rehab, finishing up "Miami Vice" or simply tangled up in blue, as Dylan would sing.

"I'm Not There" is written and directed by Todd Haynes, who made the wonderfully inventive "Far From Heaven" a couple of years ago.

None of the actors is going to actually play Dylan alone, as a character. Indeed, the screenplay calls for six different people to play the legendary singer-songwriter, including Cate Blanchett, Richard Gere and Christian Bale.

Julianne Moore, also in the film, is set to play another role (not Dylan), sources tell me.

The fact that John Lennon was recently represented by six actors in a failed Broadway musical is of no consequence to Haynes and company. “We had the idea first,” an insider told me.

The script also calls for the use of more than a dozen Dylan songs, which will be chosen by Haynes from the songwriter’s huge catalogue.

Dylan is said to be so enthusiastic about the project that he’s given up his half of the publishing income to make the budget work. The other half is owned by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, and they’re not giving up anything. After all, some of it will go toward paying Michael Jackson’s debt.

And don’t worry; the songs will not be sung by the actors. Many well-known acts like The White Stripes and Aimee Mann will get a shot at re-interpreting Dylan’s work.


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