Christoph Waltz Cast as a Twisted Animal Trainer
Christoph Waltz has come a long way from his days as a journeyman German TV actor. He his currently on the verge of winning Best Supporting Actor at the Academy Awards for his role as Col Hans Landa in Tarantino's Inglourious Basterds. Personally, I think he's got it in the bag.
Waltz is now about to be cast in a new film called Water for Elephants, which also stars Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson. The film is an adaptation from the book of the same name by Sara Green.
Heres a description of the story.
When Jacob Jankowski, recently orphaned and suddenly adrift, jumps onto a passing train, he enters a world of freaks, drifters, and misfits, a second-rate circus struggling to survive during the Great Depression, making one-night stands in town after endless town. A veterinary student who almost earned his degree, Jacob is put in charge of caring for the circus menagerie. It is there that he meets Marlena, the beautiful young star of the equestrian act, who is married to August, the charismatic but twisted animal trainer. He also meets Rosie, an elephant who seems untrainable until he discovers a way to reach her. It tells a story of a love between two people that overcomes incredible odds in a world in which even love is a luxury that few can afford.
Waltz has been cast as the charismatic but twisted animal trainer who is as mean to his wife as he is to the circus creatures. This definitely seems like a perfect role for Waltz to take, it is a very interesting character and there's no doubt that he'll give another brilliant performance.
Francis Lawrence (I Am Legend, Constantine) is directing the film from a script written by Richard LaGravanese.