Chirac's office denies he plugged actress for 'Da Vinci Code'

Yahoo News & AFP ^ | Dec 29, 2005

[presidio9]

- French President Jacques Chirac's office denied a report that he pushed for a family friend to be the leading lady of "The Da Vinci Code", when he met with the movie's makers last year.

The film's American director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer were invited to meet the French president in December last year as they were holding auditions in Paris for the top female role.

"They discussed a certain number of their acquaintances, such as Audrey Tautou, Paul Newman, Michele Laroque, Gregory Peck or Jean Reno, but without linking them to the casting of the film," a member of Chirac's staff told AFP.

Newsweek magazine, quoting the film's executives, reported that Chirac suggested they cast his daughter Claude's best friend in the part -- which was given to Audrey Tautou, the French star of the whimsical box-office hit "Amelie".

The French newspaper Le Parisien suggested that Sophie Marceau, a family friend of the Chiracs, may have been the actress in question -- described only as "an actress of some acclaim in France" by Newsweek.

Chirac's staff also denied he had discussed the pay of "this or that artist" -- after Newsweek said he had "wondered aloud, half seriously, if they could sweeten the paycheck for actor Jean Reno," who plays a detective in the film.

"The Da Vinci Code", based on the 2003 bestselling novel by Dan Brown, opens on May 19, 2006, starring Tom Hanks and Tautou. It delves into a series of high-profile murders behind a Vatican plot to conceal the true meaning of the Holy Grail.

[presidio9]

Happy New Year.

[ChadGore]

plugged actress?

[King Moonracer]

I bet Chirac plugged her, and wanted Ron Howard to hire her too!

[RockinRight]

He plugged her??

I didn't think he liked girls...

[SkyPilot]

Wouldn't be the first actress he "plugged."

[EX52D]

LOL..."plugged actress".

[presidio9]

[presidio9]

[wideawake]

I believe Sophie Marceau had a very public mental breakdown while presenting at the Cannes film festival a few years back.

[NeoCaveman]

I thought Chriaq was too old to plug actresses anymore...

[Izzy Dunne]

Chirac's staff also denied he had discussed the pay of "this or that artist" -- after Newsweek said he had "wondered aloud, half seriously, if they could sweeten the paycheck for actor

Geee - who to believe?

[presidio9]

Mel used her in Braveheart and considered making her Madgeline in the Passsion.

[Red Badger]

You posted that just for the headline!.............Good !.......

[wideawake]

She's a very gifted actress, there's no doubt. Too bad most English speaking people know her only from The World Is Not Enough, Lost and Found and Alex and Emma - a tedious Bond film, a David Spade comedy and a cheesy chick flick.

[presidio9]

What about Braveheart?

[Slings and Arrows]

[Slings and Arrows]