With only about seven weeks to go before the cameras roll, Inglorious Bastards is sprinting towards the starting line, grabbing actors whenever possible along the way. Two huge roles have remained open: Nazi Colonel Hans Landa, the ‘Jew Hunter’, and the chief female protagonist Shoshanna.
Now, only one is left. Quentin Tarantino has cast 51-year old German television actor Christoph Waltz as Landa. Waltz has been seen in a handful of projects outside Germany (the Kevin Spacey flick Ordinary Decent Criminal and Queen’s Messenger) but none come close to being the lead antagonist in Tarantino’s new movie. I can’t wait to hear the complaints pour in, but I’m excited to see a relative unknown (in this country) with the role. Now I have no expectations at all. (And I’m sure I’m not the only one who sees a real resemblance to Tim Roth in the photo at right.)
Also in the cast, and replacing the rumored Nastassja Kinski, is Diane Kruger. That’ll be a real step up from her National Treasure appearances; now she’ll have the geek cred of working with Tarantino and a nice Disney royalty check to fall back on in case Bastards goes the way of Grindhouse.
Now let’s get A Girl Cut In Two‘s Ludivine Sagnier in as Shoshanna and we can get to Cannes.