For his next film, Willem Dafoe is doing his best Hunter S. Thompson impression. The actor has been tapped to play a scattered, famously chaotic writer in the film adaptation of Cheryl Della Pietra's novel Gonzo Girl. Bringing the movie into fruition is none other than Patricia Arquette, marking her feature film directorial debut.
What is Gonzo Girl about?
If the film stays true to the source material, it will follow Alley Russo played by Camila Morrone of Daisy Jones & The Six fame. Set in 1992, Russo has just landed a covetable job as the assistant to legendary gonzo journalist Walker Reade, brought to life by Dafoe. Alley has been tasked with finally getting Reade to sit down and write the book he's long promised his publisher, but when she arrives to his compound in Aspen she finds a writer who's gone to seed after decades of substance abuse. So what to do? Instead of calling it a day, Alley is determined to filter his mostly incoherent rants and raves into something substantial, so she begins to edit and shape the dregs of his writing into something publishable. As you can imagine, it works, but only for a little while...
Who has been cast?
At this point in his career, it's clear that Willem Dafoe can take on any character; from Vincent Van Gogh, a New England lighthouse keeper, the Green Goblin – truly anything. So it's really not that far of a stretch to picture him as a cranky, sodden, washed up writer now, is it? As we've mentioned, Camila Morrone will lead as Alley Russo, the tenacious and resourceful writing assistant to Reade. Meanwhile, Patricia Arquette will double as director and actor to play Reade's long term minder, Claudia.
Release date?
At this stage, the film is in the early baby stages of production so the premiere date is yet to be announced.
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