Having nurtured a string of short projects into development and before the cameras, actress-cum-director Catherine Shepherd is ready to graduate into the league of feature films, with her directorial debut coming in the form of Like a Virgin. Blending elements of drama, comedy and religion, the picture has barely made it off the drawing board, though according to Deadline, it’s already secured Gemma Arterton to star.
Centring on a promiscuous singleton called Mary (Arterton), Shepherd’s first foray behind the lens will follow our protagonist as she indulges in alcohol-fuelled trips into town. Getting drunk and hooking up with strangers, Mary embraces her hollow life with both hands, burning the candles at both ends. That all comes to a grinding halt though, when the angel Gabriel descends from heaven and informs that, much to her surprise, Arterton’s lead will carry and give birth to the next messiah.
As much as Mary hopes against hope that the vision was merely a drunken dream, Gabriel has selected her to help save the world by welcoming the second coming, and the idea of thrusting such a powerful and religious responsibility onto someone who isn’t ready to grow up herself ought to make for an intriguing and revelatory story.
Like a Virgin is yet to cast anyone beyond Gemma Arterton, though it’s clear from the pitch that the actress will occupy the vast majority of screetime as the flawed and chosen mother.
We’ll keep you posted on the status of Shepherd’s directorial debut Like a Virgin as this story develops. Arterton, meanwhile, can next be seen in Their Finest Hour And A Half, A Hundred Streets and The History Of Love.
