She’s been a victim in** Donkey Punch** and a hoofer in Streetdance 3D, but now Nichola Burley is off to the windy Yorkshire Moors of the 19th century, as Andrea Arnold has recruited her for one of the lead roles in Wuthering Heights.
For those of you that haven’t read the novel (usually at school) or caught one of the approximately 17,000 versions of the story that have graced the screen, stage and songs since Emily Bronte published her lone novel in 1847, **Heights **is primarily about a tragic love between wastrel-turned-vengeful gentleman Heathcliff and ill-fated heroine Catherine Earnshaw, with the drama continuing after Catherine's death with her daughter, Cathy. Set against the blustery backdrop of Yorkshire’s countryside and London it’s one of the most famous books in existence.
While Deadline’s story doesn’t specify exactly which character she’s playing, we’d speculate it’s likely to be either Catherine, or Isabella Linton, whom Heathcliff marries, knocks up and mistreats.
Fish Tank director Arnold is aiming to give the story a fresh spin, focusing on the Twilight-style saga of forbidden teenage love. Skins’ Kaya Scodelario has already locked in a deal to play Cathy, though the search for Heathcliff is proving as elusive as the character’s quest for true happiness. At least two actors – Michael Fassbender and Ed Westwick – have been attached at one point. And while Fassbender worked with Arnold on Fish Tank, he’s likely too old for the plan she has in mind.
Provided a Heathcliff can be found, Arnold plans to start shooting this autumn.