Production has come to a standstill on Scarlett Johansson’s latest flick, Mary Queen of Scots, because of an impending actors’ strike. The movie was set to shoot in Ireland in the next few weeks, but the production company wants to hold off.

A spokesperson for Element Pictures says, “With strike action involving the Screen Actors Guild looming we are waiting to see what happens. We are hoping that things get resolved in the next few weeks.”

Source: Hollyscoop

Another little Mary related tidbit from Variety:

Capitol hopes that Mary Queen of Scots, starring Scarlett Johansson, finally will go into production this summer after a number of delays, but helmer Phillip Noyce has withdrawn from the project.

From Variety (click to read full article):

Rumors have emerged that Capitol’s financial uncertainty may also delay or derail a pair of projects in pre-production: Mary, Queen of Scots, starring Scarlett Johansson, and Love and Other Impossible Pursuits, starring Jennifer Lopez, Jeffrey Dean Morgan and Lisa Kudrow.

Here’s to hoping the film will go into production soon and without any hassle.

The crashing dollar and the end of various forms of tax financing worth up to 50% of budgets have left the U.K. with just two reasons why any producer would come to shoot there: talent and material.

Fortunately, Britain is blessed with an abundance of both.

Phillip Noyce’s Mary, Queen of Scots is a good example of the sort of indie project it still makes sense to film in the British Isles. Although producers Alexandra Milchan and Melanie Johansson are American, the script was originally developed by BBC Films with local writer Jimmy McGovern.

The historical subject matter argues strongly for production to take place somewhere closely approximating the authentic locations of the story.

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In what could be a case of art imitating life, finding the right man for Mary Queen of Scots is proving more difficult than expected. A movie about Mary’s life, starring Scarlett Johansson, has been delayed because producers can’t find a suitable actor to play her third husband, the Earl of Bothwell.

In real life, Mary had problems with men, one in particular, her second husband, Lord Darnely, who burst into her room in the Palace of Holyrood House, threatened her and murdered her secretary, David Riccio.

Among those said to be in the running for the Bothwell role, are Clive Owen, Robert Carlyle and James McAvoy.

Former Rome star Kevin McKidd played a convincing Bothwell in a recent television version of the monarch’s life, but he is unlikely to get the film role.

The delay is now raising doubts that the film will make it into production in time to avoid a strike by members of the Screen Actors Guild at the end of June: “Scarlett is having trouble with who her profile leading man should be,” said a source: “The actors’ strike is also going to be significant. It could be after the summer before anything happens.

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Top Hollywood actress Scarlett Johansson could be heading to West Lothian, Scotland to film her latest movie.

Last year, it emerged the actress had been signed up to play Mary, Queen of Scots, the tragic monarch who was born at Linlithgow Palace. The movie’s production team are currently touring the UK looking for locations and West Lothian Council plans to get in touch to put their case.

Provost Tom Kerr said: “This will be a major international production which could rival the success of Mel Gibson’s Braveheart.

“We plan to make the production company aware of the importance of Linlithgow’s connection with Mary, Queen of Scots and to consider filming in our historic town.”

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The Prince of Wales attended a “double” royal premiere tonight, as he met the stars of a new film featuring one of his ancestors.

Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall met the actors from The Other Boleyn Girl at a screening at the Odeon cinema in London’s Leicester Square.

Natalie Portman, who stars with Scarlett Johansson as sisters Anne and Mary Boleyn battling to win the affections of Henry VIII, said she was very excited to meet the prince.

“It must be so strange to see a film version of your family,” she said.

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The press archive has been updated with three new articles, two from USA Today and the third from ComingSoon.net. Like the recently added Cinema Blend interview, the ComingSoon.net one is also from the Boleyn press conference so it contains some comments you may have read before. There’s also some additional quotes that were not published by Cinema Blend, such as Scarlett and Natalie discussing The Horse Whisperer. A very interesting read! In these articles Scarlett also confirms that Mary Queen of Scots will be her next movie.

• The Other Boleyn Girl: Natalie vs Scarlett!
• ‘Boleyn’ girls Portman, Johansson share a sisterhood thing
• More from the ‘Boleyn’ girls

Here’s an interesting quote from Scarlett regarding her upcoming album. Speaking of, I’ve updated the music page with additional info on “Anywhere I Lay My Head”.

Johansson, meanwhile, has an album of Tom Waits covers out in May. With her distinctive husky voice, Johansson relished getting into the studio and isn’t worried whether the album tops the charts.

“How it does is ineffective for me. You can’t reverse the process,” Johansson says. “The people I care about are very excited about it. Who knows? I don’t have any kind of expectation. I love to sing.”

Last but not least, I’ve added a beautiful pic of Scarlett and Natalie. This came along the USA Today article and it was taken at the press conference.

GALLERY LINKS:
- Photoshoots: USA Today