Oscar winner Javier Bardem has bowed out of starring as Guido Contini in Rob Marshall's forthcoming film version of Nine, according to Variety. Citing exhaustion from work and awards season, Bardem had asked that filming be delayed until next winter, a request producer Harvey Weinstein could not grant.
"Javier personally asked me if we could move production to February, but we just couldn't do it," Weinstein told Variety. "He is an amazing talent and I know we'll work together in the future, very soon."
Penelope Cruz as Carla, Marion Cotillard as Luisa and Sophia Loren as Guido's mother have signed on for Nine, and Nicole Kidman and Judi Dench are reportedly negotiating to join them in the screen adaptation of the Tony-winning 1982 musical inspired by Fellini's 8½. Nine features a score by Maury Yeston and a script by Michael Tolkin The Player, Changing Lanes. Guido Contini is the central character, a film director in a career crisis who must juggle the demands of the women in his life wife, mistress, muse and producer.
Bardem was reportedly ready to make the film late last year, but Nine got postponed in the wake of the Hollywood writers' strike.
