James Gray casts Marion Cotillard, Joaquin Phoenix, and Jeremy Renner for his next flick!

From Deadline:

We Own The Night writer/director James Gray is fast mobilizing his next film. It's called Low Life, and it will star Marion Cotillard and Joaquin Phoenix, with Jeremy Renner in discussions to play the third lead. The project is being packaged by CAA. Several financiers are in the mix, but I hear that Wild Bunch will likely get it. Discussions are also taking place with domestic distributors, and deal is expected to be sealed shortly. The Hurt Locker's Greg Shapiro is producing.

I'm told that Cotillard will play a woman attempting to immigrate from Poland. Her American dream turns into a nightmare. While sailing to Ellis Island and a new start, her sister grows deathly ill and she is forced to trade sexual favors for medicine and food to keep her sister alive. Once they land, she is warned to keep quiet about what happened. Though she does, she walks away with immigration papers that deem her a woman with bad morals. With no place to go, she falls prey to a charming sleazebag (Phoenix), who persuades her to turn tricks in New York. Renner is close to signing on to play the sleazebag's cousin, a magician who sweeps the young woman off her feet and is her best chance to escape the nightmarish life she has fallen into. This will be Gray's fourth film with Phoenix, who previously starred in The Yards, We Own The Night and most recently Two Lovers.

Shooting is to begin next year. All of the actors are busy. Cotillard is starring in The Dark Knight Rises, Renner will star in the Tony Gilroy-directed The Bourne Legacy, and Phoenix has returned to work starring in Paul Thomas Anderson's untitled drama.

-Joey's Two Cents: I'm a huge fan of Two Lovers and Gray's work with Phoenix, so this is exciting for me...thoughts?

Joaquin Phoenix to replace Jeremy Renner in PTA's Scientology movie?

It seems like Paul Thomas Anderson might be close to casting him, now that it looks like the flick is actually happening. Variety has the story:


Joaquin Phoenix, who hasn't acted since his "retirement" that precipitated "I'm Still Here," is in early talks to join Philip Seymour Hoffman in Paul Thomas Anderson's untitled religious drama.

Anderson is directing from his own original script, which chronicles a disaffected disciple's relationship with the founder of a new faith that closely mirrors Scientology.

Hoffman will play Lancaster Dodd, a charismatic intellectual known as The Master, while Phoenix would play Freddie Sutton, an alcholic drifter who becomes his right-hand man only to begin questioning his manipulative mentor.

Megan Ellison's Annapurna Pictures is looking to co-finance the period pic, which Universal was previously considering funding before having second thoughts about its mid-range budget.

Anderson and his longtime producing partner JoAnne Sellar will produce through the former's Ghoulardi Film Co., along with Ellison.

Phoenix has stayed out of the spotlight since starring in pal Casey Affleck's faux-documentary "I'm Still Here," a time-consuming vanity project that went on to gross only $698,000 worldwide. His last feature role was in James Gray's 2008 drama "Two Lovers."

Anderson is also developing an adaptation of Thomas Pynchon's detective novel "Inherent Vice," which is slated to star Robert Downey Jr.

-Joey's Two Cents: I might have preferred Renner, but Phoenix could do very well too. I actually have an early draft of this script, so perhaps I should crack it open...thoughts?

Joaquin Phoenix's Strange Letterman Appearance - Video

Wow. If you missed the David Letterman show Wednesday night you missed a very uncomfortable visit by Joaquin Phoenix.

Maybe he was just having an off night or was under the influence of drugs, but it got weird to say the least.

He chewed gum non-stop and then stuck it under Letterman's desk, he answered questions with a simple "yes" or "no", and was less than helpful in his efforts to plug his new movie 'Two Lovers" with Gwyneth Paltrow.

Joaquin seemed to take offense when Dave asked him about his beard, and told the host he was not there to be made to feel weird about it. Ouch. When confused by the audience laughter, he asked the host, "What do you have them on? Nitrous?"

He stared blankly at the host when asked simple questions, and it was rare when you could understand his comments - when he talked at all. He did have one strange admission - he is working on his hip-hop music career. Really?

The interview ended with Dave saying, "Joaquin, I'm sorry you couldn't be here tonight", and apologizing to Farrah Faucet, his admitted worst guest ever - until last night.

Watch Joaquin Phoenix on the David Letterman Show



Joaquin's new movie, "Two Lovers", is a Brooklyn-set romantic drama about a bachelor (Phoenix) torn between the family friend his parents want him to marry and his beautiful, but volatile, new neighbor. It opens February 13.

He was last seen in the 2007 thriller "Reservation Road" with Jennifer Connelly, Mark Ruffalo, Elle Fanning and Mira Sorvino, where a couple's son is killed at a gas station on Reservation Road, and it changes their life forever.
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