Snow White and the Huntsman is bringing Viggo Mortensen on board to star. According to Variety, he’s negotiating to play the titular huntsman who trains Snow White and helps her escape from the Evil Queen. At one point Johnny Depp was looking like a possibility for this role.
Though Variety reports that Universal wants “a fresh face” for the film – a la True Grit breakthrough and Oscar nominee Hailee Steinfeld – Kristen Stewart tops the studio’s list of actresses being sought to play Snow White according to The Hollywood Reporter. Emily Browning, Felicity Jones and Riley Keough, all conducted screen tests, but testing isn’t necessary for Stewart thanks to her star power attained from starring in the Twilight films.
Mortensen’s a terrific actor, and since he starred in the biggest fantasy series in motion picture history, he knows a thing or two about the genre. Plus, he possesses the “tough guy” essence that will no doubt fit into this role.
Stewart usually lends her talents in small independent films, save for the aforementioned fantasy franchise. If she takes this role, not only will she be filling the shoes of an iconic fantasy character, it will also mark her first performance in a major studio film since becoming a star.
She gets a bad rep from much of the film community for Twilight, but despite those films, she is a gifted actress. Yes, we can probably take a seemingly endless amount of time to list what’s wrong the Twilight series, but her work in them rises above the material to some degree. Additionally, she gave memorable and intuitive supporting performances in Adventureland and Into the Wild.
Despite my admiration for her talent, I’m not so sure that she’s right for this particular role. Regardless of what happens with Stewart, both actors have supporting roles in Walter Salles’ adaptation of On the Road, currently set for release later this year.
What do you think about Mortensen and Stewart in these roles?
