Three Fair Ladies In The Running

Published on September 15, 2009 by FilmShaft Staff · View Comments

My Fair Lady Kiera Scarlett Anne Keira Knightley, Anne Hathaway and Scarlett Johansson are all being considered for the lead role in the big screen remake of My Fair Lady.

The starring role of Eliza Doolittle was originally made famous by screen legend Audrey Hepburn.

Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle is to direct the film, and is rumored to be favouring 24-year-old Knightley for the iconic part, reports STV. An insider said:

“Keira and Scarlett are the only two real contenders and Keira’s the favourite. She’s the most natural choice for Eliza we have seen.”

“She has worked on her singing voice for a year and will get better and better.”

The story of My Fair Lady is set in London in 1912, and surrounds Professor Henry Higgins. He takes a bet from a friend called Colonel Pickering that he can transform an unrefined Cockney flower girl called Eliza Doolittle into a lady, and fool everyone into thinking she really is an aristocrat. Higgins manages to do just this, and Eliza even fools young aristocrat Freddy Eynsford-Hill, who falls madly in love with her.

But when Higgins takes all the credit for her transformation and forgets to acknowledge her efforts, Eliza angrily leaves him for Freddy, and suddenly Higgins realizes he’s grown accustomed to her face and can’t really live without her company.

The original movie made in 1964, which starred Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison, won a staggering eight Oscars. My Fair Lady also had a very successful stint on the West End stage until 2002.

Production on My Fair Lady is to begin late next year. It will be most interesting to see which male will get the lead of Henry Higgins too. Will they go for a young or older male figure?

And will Knightly be able to bring as much personality to the role as Hepburn did over 40 years ago?
Knightly’s next movie due for release in 2010, is called London Boulevard. She stars alongside Colin Farrell, in a plot line where an ex-London con teams up with a reclusive actress to bring havoc to the city.