Madonna news - March 2011


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Cornish reveals Lola's role; calls Madonna a 'natural director'

Source: MTV News - 8 March 2011

Madonna wrapped production on W.E., her second directorial effort, in October, and now reports are suggesting she's looking to premiere the movie at the Venice Film Festival, which takes place from August 31 to September 10.

The film's co-star, Abbie Cornish, not only confirmed the possibility of a Venice debut to MTV News, but also revealed the mysterious role Madonna's daughter, Lourdes, will be playing.

"I heard yesterday," Cornish told us about Venice, while promoting her upcoming thriller, "Limitless. "That'd be amazing." W.E. follows a "Julie & Julia"-esque dual story line, one featuring Cornish as a contemporary woman obsessed with the duke and duchess of Windsor and another focusing on the royal couple itself.

News that Lourdes would appear in a small role surfaced last fall, when photos of the teen in a schoolgirl's uniform popped up online, but until now the nature of her part was unclear. Cornish's character, it turns out, has a deep connection to that of Lourdes.

"She actually plays a younger version of my character," Cornish said, adding that because of they portray the same person, they never got to share actual screen time. "She's a super-cute, younger version of my character."

W.E. marks Madonna's second feature following Filth and Wisdom which hit only a handful of theaters in 2008. The new project, the pop star turned filmmaker said last year, has been an obsession of hers even before Filth and Wisdom and took her two-and-a-half years to write. "I made 'Filth and Wisdom' because I realized that I didn't really have a right to make a bigger film until I made a smaller film — and learned how to make a film," she said.

According to Cornish, though, the Queen of Pop is a born filmmaker. "Madonna is a natural director," the actress told us. "It's in her nature. She's a Leo and she really represents the Leos well. She's a very smart woman, very well read. She really absorbs a lot about whatever she's involved in. She loves learning. It was interesting to see her evolve throughout the filmmaking process. She's such a cool woman."



Orbit touts W.E. Oscar-worthy

Source: Bigpondnews - 8 March 2011

Madonna has been touted for Oscar success with her debut feature film W.E..

The 52-year-old singer has directed the movie - a two-tier tale about Britain's King Edward VIII's relationship with American Wallis Simpson and a modern story regarding a woman called Wally Simpson - and while many are expecting it to fail, music producer William Orbit says people will be surprised by how good it is.

William - who has worked with Madonna on the soundtrack for the movie - said: 'I've done two pieces of score music for the film. It's hard to describe but they're quite moody as they come at pivotal moment during the romance. I've watched the film several times and it's really good. It's definitely Oscar-worthy and I'm not just saying that. I wouldn't comment on her past acting abilities so you know by me saying what I have that it's really a great film. I definitely think Madonna could be up for an Oscar for Best Director.'

William says Madonna - who will debut the film at the Venice Film Festival in September - is great working with people even though can be quite 'autocratic'. He told Deanpiper.com: 'She has a very good eye and a great way with people. I'm not saying anything new by revealing she's autocratic but as long as people share the same vision then it works and this film really does.'



'W.E.' rumored to get Venice premiere

Source: Hollywood Reporter - 5 March 2011

W.E., the second directorial effort from pop music icon Madonna, will premiere at this year's Venice Film Festival, according to the TV&Showbiz column in Friday's edition of London's Daily Mail.

The festival will not announce it's official lineup until July, and festival officials contacted Friday said they had no comment on the story from Daily Mail columnist Baz Bamingboye.

Abbie Cornish at the Oscars

The story said that the 52-year-old Madonna would travel to the Venice Lido for the 68th edition of festival, which will take place Aug. 31-Sept. 10.

Also expected to make the trip are Andrea Riseborough, who stars in the film as Wallis Simpson, the American divorcee who married Edward VII, the British king who was forced to abdicate the throne after all 11-month reign in 1936 in order to marry her, and Abbie Cornish, who plays the role of Wally Winthrop, a contemporary woman obsessed with Simpson's story. The film tells the story of both women.

Madonna's 14-year-old daughter Lourdes is reported to have a cameo role in the film as well.

Some clips from the film were shown at last month's Berlin Film Festival in order to attract buyers for the product. But the first full public showing will be in Venice, the article said.

If the news is true, it will be the first time the Material Girl appeared on the Venice Lido in connection with a film. Her only other directing credit was for 2008 film Filth and Wisdom, and she appeared as an actress in around half a dozen big screen films - most notably in the title role of Evita in 1996 - but none of them screened in Venice.

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