Tautou to play opposite Hanks
French actress Audrey Tautou poses for photographers at the German premiere of "Mathilde - a great love" in front of the entrance of a cinema in Hamburg, northern Germany, Thursday. (AP Photo/Christof Stache)
PARIS (AP) - The winsome French actress Audrey Tautou of Amelie fame has been chosen as Tom Hanks' young helpmate in cracking The Da Vinci Code in the film adaptation of the best-selling book, the French newspaper Le Parisien reported Saturday.
According to the daily, Tautou is to play the role of Sophie Neveu, the young French investigator who helps Robert Langdon (Hanks), a symbologist, in a race to solve the murder of an elderly member of an ancient society that has protected dark secrets since the early years of Christianity.
Oscar-winning director Ron Howard opted for Tautou last week, then confirmed his decision in a Wednesday meeting with her in Paris, Le Parisien's cinema writer Alain Grasset reported without citing sources.
A string of actresses, including Sophie Marceau, sought the role that was finally narrowed down to Tautou and Linda Hardy, a former Miss France, according to the article.
Besides Amelie, Tautou starred in Jean-Pierre Jeunet's 2004 movie A Very Long Engagement.
Filming of the mystical thriller is expected to start in June. Sony Pictures has said it plans to release the film May 19, 2006.
The famed Louvre Museum has agreed in principal to allow scenes to be shot there, Louvre director Henri Loyrette said Friday. It is the murder of the curator that triggers the search for the so-called Da Vinci code.
The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown, is a mix of code-breaking, art history, secret societies, religion and lore. Several other books have tried to debunk its contentious allegations - namely, that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and had descendants.
French actress Audrey Tautou poses for photographers at the German premiere of "Mathilde - a great love" in front of the entrance of a cinema in Hamburg, northern Germany, Thursday. (AP Photo/Christof Stache)
PARIS (AP) - The winsome French actress Audrey Tautou of Amelie fame has been chosen as Tom Hanks' young helpmate in cracking The Da Vinci Code in the film adaptation of the best-selling book, the French newspaper Le Parisien reported Saturday.
According to the daily, Tautou is to play the role of Sophie Neveu, the young French investigator who helps Robert Langdon (Hanks), a symbologist, in a race to solve the murder of an elderly member of an ancient society that has protected dark secrets since the early years of Christianity.
Oscar-winning director Ron Howard opted for Tautou last week, then confirmed his decision in a Wednesday meeting with her in Paris, Le Parisien's cinema writer Alain Grasset reported without citing sources.
A string of actresses, including Sophie Marceau, sought the role that was finally narrowed down to Tautou and Linda Hardy, a former Miss France, according to the article.
Besides Amelie, Tautou starred in Jean-Pierre Jeunet's 2004 movie A Very Long Engagement.
Filming of the mystical thriller is expected to start in June. Sony Pictures has said it plans to release the film May 19, 2006.
The famed Louvre Museum has agreed in principal to allow scenes to be shot there, Louvre director Henri Loyrette said Friday. It is the murder of the curator that triggers the search for the so-called Da Vinci code.
The Da Vinci Code, by Dan Brown, is a mix of code-breaking, art history, secret societies, religion and lore. Several other books have tried to debunk its contentious allegations - namely, that Jesus married Mary Magdalene and had descendants.
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