French actress Eva Green will play the role of the sex siren Vesper Lynd in the forthcoming Bond flick "Casino Royale." The 25-year-old was given the nod ahead of other contenders like Olivia Wilde and Rose Byrne after it was reported that beauties like Angelina Jolie, Charlize Theron and Naomi Watts passed the role.
Green, who is the daughter of French actress Marlène Jobert and Swedish dentist Walter Green, has to her credit erotic movies like "The Dreamers." It is reported that her steamy scene with Orlando Bloom in "Kingdom of Heaven" was so hot that it had to be cut down. Casino Royale producers Michael Wilson and Barbara Broccoli said that they had zeroed in on the perfect actress after a long search, "After an extensive search we found the perfect actress. She brings to the complex role of Vesper an exciting combination of enigmatic and seductive beauty," they said.
Earlier this week it was announced that Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen will play the villain Le Chiffre in the movie and the producers appear to be happy with these choices, "We are thrilled that Eva and Mads have joined the cast of 'Casino Royale.' They bring exceptional talent to the characters Ian Fleming described so vividly in his first James Bond novel," Wilson and Broccoli said in a statement.
The film to be directed by Martin Campbell is based on the first ever Bond novel penned by Ian Fleming. For the first time, the Bond is blond, as Daniel Craig has been chosen to replace Pierce Brosnan in the 21st Bond caper.
Columbia Pictures chairman Amy Pascal said that it took a long time to zero in on femme fatale Vesper Lynd since the role demanded much more than beauty, "Vesper is a pivotal role in 'Casino Royale,' and it takes much more than beauty to make this role work. When you think about the great James Bond adventures, of course you think about action and espionage, but you need to have palpable sexual tension in the movie, and in casting Vesper we really needed to up the ante," she said. Casino Royale is to hit the theatres on November 17 this year.
