Before production even began on Lars Von Trier’s newest film The Nymphomaniac, the film was already a source of controversy, mostly because Shia LaBeouf would not shut up. Since then, the cast list has been in a perpetual flux, adding big names and dropping others.
This week, The Playlist reports that Von Trier regulars Willem Dafoe and Jean-Marc Barr have been added to the cast, while Nicole Kidman has dropped out.
Kidman reportedly faced scheduling conflicts with her new film Grace of Monaco, which is currently shooting, so she’s out of her small part for The Nymphomaniac. To ease his suffering, Von Trier has added Uma Thurman, presumably in Kidman’s part. With both Dafoe and Barr now confirmed in their roles, the film is shaping up as a who’s who of Hollywood and beyond. Jamie Bell, Christian Slater, and Shia LaBeouf have all been cast as well.
The Nymphomaniac will trace the sex life of a woman (Charlotte Gainsbourg) as she reveals it to a bachelor (Stellan Skarsgaard) who finds her beaten in an alley. Given Von Trier’s tendency to treat very uncomfortable subjects with a typical lack of tact, we should not anticipate anything less than controversial.
The Nymphomaniac has already been described as soft-core, with Shia LaBeouf kindly informing anyone who will listen that the sex will be real. If this means I have to watch Shia LaBeouf have sex with anyone, I’m not seeing this film.
The Nymphomaniac is currently shooting, with a release date set for 2013. Whatever comes of it, it’s sure to be uncomfortable.
