Benicio Del Toro, Mia Threapleton and Michael Cera in Wes Anderson’s ‘The Phoenician Scheme’
Everett Collection/Focus Features
Although Wes Anderson is no stranger to assembling a star-studded ensemble, one actress seems to be just out of reach.
The Oscar-winning director recently revealed that he’s unsuccessfully attempted to cast Jodie Foster in “so many” his films, but timing has never worked out in his favor. He wouldn’t disclose which movies or roles he envisioned for her.
“Over the years, I had so many movies that I tried to get Jodie Foster to be in,” he told Collider, adding: “It used to be every movie, we went to Jodie Foster for a part. And I think I did it three movies in a row, maybe four. And I met her, and I liked her. And I thought it was going to get her. And I think she’s just great, Jodie Foster. And I loved her.”
Anderson noted he “still would like to get Jodie Foster. But I guess after asking few times, I thought maybe I’m not… I think sometimes somebody has an idea of the kind of work they want to do at that time in his or her life, and we weren’t right.”
Marking his 13th feature, The Phoenician Scheme is now in theaters, starring Benicio del Toro as wealthy businessman Zsa-zsa Korda, who becomes the target of a deadly pursuit after appointing his nun daughter, Sister Liesl (Mia Threapleton), as the sole heir to his estate.
Foster most recently made her French film debut in Vie privée (A Private Life), which premiered last month at Cannes Film Festival, where The Phoenician Scheme competed for the Palme d’Or.