Erm sorry Merlyn, I saw you'd posted just before me so went to delete my own news item, but seem to have somehow deleted them both at once.

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

sorry for being all awkward and all, but ive never heard of her, could you give me a link?

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

Sure; just click her name in the news article now and it'll take you to her IMDB page. She's not been in many films yet it seems.

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

Ha, I did the same when I saw your article… oh well.

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

Wait… I have a question. I just read the part that said "with an option to star in two sequels, if they are made,"
and I was just wondering if all the other actors had the same option or if if they are only in for the one movie, and Weitz is he only in for the one.

Good news though she's a great actress.

Thanks

–Arriving Somewhere

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

ah, i had never heard of her before now, but she certainly does look lovely. she looks like a perfect serafina to me!

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

Tony - we really can't tell contract details from brief words like that. I'd be pretty surprised though if the returning actors weren't locked down into contracts for the entire trilogy. Read the latest newsletter (archive is in the left-menu here) for some complications on that with Kidman & Bettany.

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

Thanks Willl, I just subscribed for the news letter.

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

OMG that's brilliant! I had never even thought of her as Serafina (I had Laura Pyper from Hex pegged), but I'm actually excited that she's playing her. She was in Kingdom Of Heaven which is one of my favourite movies ever and now she's in this! I think she has all the right qualities to play Serafina too. Good call!

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

Oops, I just made a complete idiot of myself. Is anyone in New Line confirming this? Can we take this as official?

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

Hmm…I could see her as Serafina, though, frankly, Claudia Black is the closest I've ever come to the Serafina in my head.

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

OMG she's perfect for the part! I saw her in Kingdom of Heaven and The Dreamers…both are great!

and she's beautiful, very witch-like!

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

JV - it's in Variety, it's legit. Got the email from New Line about it too for that matter.

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

Voi vittu! :crying:Oh, well. I think that Eva Green is a very beautiful lady, with a very beautiful name even, but I think that they should've perhaps cast her as Lena Feldt, or somebody else like that. She'd work quite perfectly as a witch, I believe–but Serafina Pekkala was supposed to have been pale, with very fair hair, and for some reason, I'm very keen on that fact. Eva Green would work better as Ruts Skadi, at the very least. But we'll see. She might turn out to work better than I think.

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

MORE ACTORS/ACTRESS'S. :tongue:. I always thought of Helena Bonham-carter as Serafina Pekkala but the more I keep looking at Eva Green the more she keep's growing on me for her to play Serafina so I'm happy :tongue:.
Mabey Helena Bonham-carter can play Ruts Skadi. :laughing:.

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

Cool, Eva's exactly how imagined Serafina would look.

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

I had my money on Rachael Weis (cant spell her name lol) although Eva has the same sort of natural beauty and elegance as her, she'll do brilliant i think! its not like we have a choice in it anyway lol!

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

Willl, I have one strong word for you and for anyone else who cares about His Dark Materials, and that word is… Woohoo!

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

I think she'll make a good Serafina. I actually pictured Serafina to look something like Eva Green. But what's with it saying that she has "an option to star in two sequels, if they are made."? Does this mean that she could possibly say that she doesn't want to be in the next two films, even if they are made? AH!

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

Yes, Silvertounge, that is basically what it means.

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

AH SWEET

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

i think she looks perfect for the part to be honest. thats practically how I pictured her to look

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

She looks good for the part, but Serafina is supposed to have "fair" hair. They'll be dying it, right? *worry*

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

theres an amazing wig manufacturer in England, it was the same one they used for Lord of the rings, theyll probably go straight to them anyway, sure, they made orlando bloom still look amazingly hott despite having long blonde fake hair

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

FYI folks,

As far as Pullman is concerned, Serafina is only described as 'fair' in the book. I've not found any direct descriptions that says blonde or dark hair and nothing that says 'fair hair'.

Fair can also mean beautiful, and since Pullman never uses that description in her introduction, I'm assuming that he is using it in this way.

Seems as if he's left it up to the reader on figuring out the hair colour.

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

no, there is definitely somewhere in the book where Farder Coram says how beautiful Serafina is. And all the witch's have black hair….i think

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

No, Serafina has blond hair. but even so, i think Eva Green fits pretty well…but how is nicole kidman going to look with black hair??? and are they even going to do that with her??? oh, they better.

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

this is kinda how i pictured Serafina to look before i found out she was blond, but she'll be brilliant. she might be better for Ruta Skadi, though.

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

ur right, she has "fair hair" i was just listening to the subtle knife and it says something about her crown sitting in her fair hair at the witch counsel

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

i didnt liked her in kingdom of heaven she looks good but gwyneth paltrow is the only serafina

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

gweneth paltrow? :wassat:

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

Yeah I always thought of Serafina as having dark hair, but if the book says she's blond, then she should be blond in the film, too, I guess. But she does look the part and she could always dye her hair.
And I agree with rory - Gwyneth Paltrow?

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

I third that motion: Gwyneth Paltrow? :wassat:

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

OMG…she's gorgeous! She's EXACTLY how I imagined her for Serafina! I just hope she's a good actress.

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

Alex: who's gorgeous - Eva Green or Gwyneth Paltrow?

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

okay, i know we've gone over this a million times, but i wanna see dakota

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

rory: I know! It's so infuriating! Why can't we see pictures of her?!?!?!? They might be trying to build up the suspense, but they're not making her any more popular by making us wait this long!

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

either that or they don't think we'll like her

………………kidding!

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

Please stick to the topic, guys. Thanks.

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

hoobits: sorry.
But yeah Eva Green looks OK.

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

she looks great for the part… but hang on… if she's starring in 'CASINO ROYALE' then what is she doing staring in a kid's novel movie? she must have a soft side.

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

Ok,you don't like Gwyneth or you don't know Gwyneth :wassat:

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

No I do like Gwyneth Paltrow, but I just don't reckon for Serafina. Sorry!

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

No Problem

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

She's pretty, but she's a terrible actress. Maybe I'm being a bit judgmental because I've only seen her in one movie, but did you SEE her in Kingdom of Heaven? All she did was look into the camera and attempt to look gorgeous.
I agree with whoever said that Rachel Weisz would have been a better choice: she's beautiful and talented.

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

:wassat: i dont no… she was ok in the dreamers but i agree with allie… she is ment to be cast as gorgous damels in desstress i thought sefina would look like eva green but shes not quiet right… :crying:

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

Well, Imao she;s got da looks.
Acting; not sure.

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

errrrrrrrrrrrrrr! :wassat:
Totally agree wiv Runner in that she looks the part (even if i imagined Serafina wiv blonde hair)in being beautiful, but i just don't think she's the right character 4 Serafina.
i mean, Serafinas meant 2 b wild hearted and brave and sorrowful and wise and i just don't think Eva Green will be able 2 capture that intense forlorn passion of Serafina. Serafinas such a complicated character and it would take a really good actress to attempt to play her. :angry:
oh well………good luck 2 her.

:angry: :angry: :sad:

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

wow, she does look really witch-ey and mystical. i think she'll probably be really good as Serafina!

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link

well, I'm here because I'm a big fan of Eva's so of course, I think her acting will be fine. But, just an FYI - she is naturally blond, so maybe she will leave off the dark dye for this role. I've not read any of the books yet but I just got them from Amazon and am really looking forward to reading them all. I'll be paying special attention to descriptions of Serafina! And as far as Nicole Kidman is concerned, she doesn't seem to have any problems with different hair colors or anything else - she changed her looks quite a lot for "The Hours."
I'd worry less about the looks than making sure they stick to the storyline of the books, personally. It took me a long time to get over the hack job the Sci Fi channel did on the Earthsea trilogy. :angry: Speaking of hack jobs, before you condemn Eva's acting based only on the theatrical release of Kingdom of Heaven, I really suggest that you watch the director's cut. They cut out most of her scenes - yet another case of Hollywood cutting all the character development in favor of action scenes.

November 30, 1999 12:00 am | link