Pearl Of A Cast

One of Britain's best exports, Oscar nominee Tom Wilkinson is set to go all Dutch on us in new film, Girl With a Pearl Earring. After appearing in the cre de la crème of English literature, Oscar Wilde's Importance of Being Earnest, Wilkinson is heading off into the low countries to star in another literary adaptation - this time a version of the best selling novel by Tracy Chevalier about the life of famed Dutch artist Johannes Vermeer. Reuniting with his Importance of Being Earnest, colleague Colin Firth, the In the Bedroom star will play the wealthy – and for Empire Online, fairly unpronounceable – Van Ruijven, who was a patron to Vermeer in 1660s Delft. Firth will step back into those popular period breeches for his role as the Dutch master himself who takes more than a fancy to a young maid in his household. In a fair swift change of tack, Eight Legged Freaks star Scarlett Johansson will play the lucky focus of Mr Firth's attention. Mmm, rather large arachnids or Colin Firth, a hard choice for any girl.