Ophelia is coming

Will she start filming this or Kolma after episode 8 wraps?

So are they making Ophelia like a period piece but with contempo language. Daisy wearing gowns, who will be her antagonist? Not the Naomi Watts, mother of Hamlet character.

Throughout school, I read the main, required plays by Shakespeare: Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, and Othello. I've only read Othello once, and never really got the feel of it. Read the other three multiple times, and liked Hamlet the least. I've heard a lot of actors talk about doing Shakespeare, and they almost all say that Hamlet is the one to do. Everyone wants to play Hamlet. So much emotion and intense acting, they say.

I never really liked it. There really is no one to root for. No likable characters. The two exceptions to this are Ophelia and Horatio, and neither one is in the play enough to really do or say much. I don't think there's that much meat to either role. Hamlet himself is certainly no hero, and not very sympathetic. Pathetic is more like it, and I feel no sorrow when he dies. Polonius won't shut up; his prose is a chore to get through. Is anyone sad to see him go when he does? Not me. Claudius and Laertes are villainous. Laertes less so, but he's still one of the antagonists to our main protagonist. Gertrude is, at the least, extremely naive. Even if she was unaware of Claudius having murdered Old Hamlet (up to debate), Hamlet at least mentally tortures her as if she were aware. No real likable characters, imo.

Now, let's get back to Ophelia and Daisy Ridley. Daisy has said that she's received many scripts since TFA came out in December, and that she wasn't very happy with many of them, because the female roles weren't strong. The interview I read this in didn't go in to any detail, but I guess that meant the women's roles in general were weak. Daisy was clearly hoping for stronger roles like Rey.

So, my question is, is Ophelia a strong female character? Does it fit in with Daisy's (admittedly vague) stated desire to play a strong woman? I would say that no, Ophelia is not a strong character. Again, she's not in the play that much. Or, at least I don't remember her being in it much. She's fallen in love with Hamlet, yet she agrees to sort of spy on him for Polonius and Claudius. Fully aware the latter two are hiding and listening, Hamlet plays mad in front of Ophelia. Though his act is for all, Ophelia bears the brunt of it; he is terribly cruel to her. Combined with Hamlet's rejection of her, his killing of her father, and no support from her absent brother, Ophelia truly does go mad. She falls in a river, and drowns, and whether it is an accident or suicide is up to the reader. After her funeral, she is no longer mentioned. To me, Ophelia seems mentally weak. Too in love with Hamlet to handle rejection, and too reliant on her father and brother that she crumbles once they are unavailable. She seemingly goes mad very quickly, and, whether accident or suicide, doesn't seem to care much if she lives or dies.

Of course, this comes with the big caveat that we don't know what direction the movie makers will go with this. They could do a wild re-imagining of the Ophelia character, and make her extremely different from the one Shakespeare portrayed. Daisy's in it, so I'll probably want to see it no matter what.

Another question about a strong character. (I don't totally get the necessity of it being a woman or a man. Rey would be a strong character whether she were a woman or a man). But for the sake of this question, let's just go with strong female character. Would a female character have to be heroic, or righteous, or physically and mentally strong, or on the right side of good and evil, or any other positive attribute in order for it to be a strong character? Or an interesting character? Or a character worth being portrayed or viewed? Just as examples, look at Charlize Theron's character in Monster, Glen Close's character in Fatal Attraction, or Juliette Lewis' character in Natural Born Killers. Theron won an Oscar and Golden Globe, Close was nominated for an Oscar, and Lewis won the Venice Film Award for best actress. I would say that none of the women portrayed in these movies are role models, or heroic, or good people. But the roles themselves were fairly meaty, and found to be good enough to be praised and nominated for awards. (for the record, I didn't like any of the movies I mentioned. Just using them as examples).

I suppose my main point with this last paragraph is that I think Daisy might have to be willing to take on a role that isn't strong in all senses or ways. A role where she might have to be a villain, or be a person who is emotionally ugly or weak, or whatever else that might not be seen as good or strong. Those roles might be worthy of portraying, too.

Read the book, cliff notes or review spoilers for 'Ophelia' by Lisa Klein. It's a young adult novel rewritten from Ophelia's point of view. That's what the film is based on.

I think the article you're referring to was the Hollywood Reporter about her not taking on any roles due to poorly written female characters. Daisy did mentioned that she tried out for a role wearing a costume and an accident happened. Obviously, she didn't get the role but my guess would be - what film would start shooting in 2015 with a female lead wearing a costume?

Pride Prejudice and Zombies. That flick flopped and good thing Daisy didn't get it. No, I think she's being finicky about her roles and won't settle for less meatier roles. Look at all her choices so far, they're all leads except for Gypsy. But Gypsy is quite meaty if she gets the Louise role to Streisand's Mama Rose.

Don't forget that Daisy also wants to finish her studies. Having a degree seems very important to her.

I agree. I think, If Ophelia is so fragile, can be good because Natalie Portman won an Oscar doing an extremely fragile and dramatic role in Black Swan.
Her possible role in Gipsy is great, because Louise/Gipsy Rose Lee is perfect for her. Mama Rose is superb, but sometimes the supporting role can be a great way to show the several talents of her.

You know, I got it so in my head trying to think of what happened in Hamlet and how Ophelia was used, that it totally went over my head this upcoming movie is based on a more modern interpretation of the play and not the play itself. Thanks for the reminder. 

That is interesting to know, though. I'll have to look it up. Without having looked it up yet, I wonder how it would work? There is still more of the tale to be told after Ophelia is dead, so if the story is from her point of view, viewers might not know what happens to the other characters. I'll have to go look that up now.

That is cool that Daisy wants to complete university. Definitely a worthy endeavor. And I think its great she wants to and can be picky with what roles she chooses. As long as she's happy with the roles, that's what matters most.

You mentioned Gypsy. Daisy isn't certainly confirmed for a role in it, right? No official announcements yet? Musicals aren't my thing, so even as big a Daisy fan as I am, I don't know if I'd see that one. 

Don't want to make it look like with the last paragraph of my previous post that I'm wanting Daisy to do villainous roles or Oscar-bait roles. I'd certainly prefer to enjoy her performances and characters, and be able to root for her. And I find a lot of Oscar-bait movies to be pretty boring. Just saying that such roles have had a history of being rewarded, and some are meaty and strong without being good or role-model material. As long as Daisy is challenging and enjoying herself, then that's the main thing. I'm wary of the supernatural romance movie she has in the works, but am totally game for the one dealing with the Holocaust.

I love musicals. And Daisy wants do it. But Kolma is a very interesting project. I hope it hapenning.
Her patience to do her choices is perfect. She study at Open University, so can study and work in the same time
Daisy protects her privacy and it is very good.
An Oscar nomination is not so priority now. We will love, but Di Caprio and Julianne Moore waited much time to get one...
Good movies and happiness. Daisy deserves ;)

There is no way Barbra would have slipped that she was interviewing Daisy Ridley for Gypsy unless it was intentional. Think about it, this woman has been in showbiz for more than 50 years. No way would she embarass a newcomer like Daisy by mentioning this unless Daisy got the role.

It's all a marketing ploy for Babs to get people interested in her album and the film, which had finally gotten the green light after so many years. I'll also wager that Anne Hathaway has the Baby June role.

Indeed. Babs knows play the game. Daisy loves musicals. Her voice is so beautiful.