Blake Lively Shunned, Rooney Mara Takes Over in Steven Soderbergh’s ‘Side Effects’
A few days ago, we brought you word that Megan Ellison’s Annapurna Pictures was extremely reticent to finance the $30 million budget for the thriller Side Effects with Blake Lively in the lead. Well, it seems that director Steven Soderbergh has relented to the pressure as Deadline reports that Rooney Mara will take over the lead role. She will play Emily Hawkins, a beautiful young woman who has a serious addiction to prescription drugs which she uses to deal with anxiety and depression surrounding the pending release of her husband (Channing Tatum) from prison. She soon becomes involved in an affair with a doctor, who will be played by Jude Law.
Mara, whose star has been rapidly rising since her appearance in last year’s The Social Network and more particularly her Oscar-nominated performance in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, is obviously an excellent option and shall we say, a major upgrade over Lively. Filming on Side Effects is set to begin in April.
What do you think? Was this a good decision?
11 Comments
I think Rooney Mara is going to be like the Jessica Chastain of 2012. She’s been popping up a lot, lately. Which I’m fine with, coz she’s awesome.
She doesn’t seem as willing to take roles though while Chastain seems to be saying yes to just about everything sent her way
Excellent decision. Now, we just need to get rid of Channing Tatum and replace him with someone who can act and we’re on!
@ STEVEN: Ahaha every time, I type that plot description, I’m wondering what’s so intimidating and scary about Channing Tatum that the heroine is overdosing on prescription drugs
Rooney was great in the Dragon tattoo, so i approve
What’s a Blake Lively
A very attractive blonde chick with nice legs, nice tits, an incredible ass, and very little range as an actress.
Wow, that’s an upgrade indeed Castor. I only saw Rooney Mara in The Social Network and she was good even in her brief scenes. I’m with Steven about replacing Tatum as well, maybe he and Lively should team up together somewhere else
It seems Soderbergh and Tatum are BFF so I doubt he would kick him out to the curb ah!
Blake Lively can’t act. Rooney Mara can. Ergo, this is nothing but good news.
I love me some Lively, but I think I can live with this news. If Lively really can’t act (frankly, I don’t know if I’ve actually ever seen a project of hers, so I can’t really say), I’d be ok with her taking Marissa Miller’s mantle as the next Best Swimsuit Model. She would excel in that role, no doubt.
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