Emma Thompson is not going to be pleased. Why? Well, you might remember that back in August, we reported on her finally appearing to get all the elements sorted for Effie, the film about Euphemia “Effie” Gray and her unhappy marriage. With Dakota Fanning on board to star, it finally kicked off shooting last month. But now comes word of a competing drama about the woman, with Keira Knightley in talks for the lead.
This new one is called Untouched, and has House Of Sand director Andrucha Waddington set to call the shots. It’ll tell the same basic story of Effie, the teenage girl who gets wed to arty type John Ruskin, only for him to be disgusted by some part of her body and refuse to consummate the marriage. The couple lived a joyless, loveless existence, with his parents constantly attacking poor Effie. But her story has a happier ending, as she divorced Ruskin and married his protégé, John Everett Millais.
Aleksandra Crapanzano wrote the script, but there’s no word on when the film will kick off shooting. And that’s even assuming anyone will want to invest given the chances of a clash with Effie. Still, despite the seeming disparity of her playing a teenager, Knightley’s name should draw some attention.