A-listers for multimillion Mandela movie

At least one Hollywood star can be expected in the multi-million-dollar adaptation of Good Morning Mr Mandela, Maven Pictures said.

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At least one Hollywood star can be expected in the multi-million-dollar adaptation of Zelda la Grange’s autobiography, Good Morning Mr Mandela, the film company which bought the rights to the book said on Friday.

Maven Pictures is to make the next Mandela movie - a story of Madiba’s assistant’s journey from prejudiced typist to trusted private secretary.

As accusations of racism in Hollywood mount, producers of Good Morning Mr Mandela stress the film will highlight the theme of “tolerance”.

While casting is yet to take place, Golden Globe-winning producer Celine Rattray, who set up Maven with Bafta-nominated producer Trudie Styler, wife of pop star Sting, said on Friday there would be at “least one name of recognition” in the movie of the best-seller.

Rattray, a former marketing director of HBO, speaking from Maven’s New York office, said the film would be “character-driven” and the lead actors would have to be “strong and intelligent”.

They are looking for a budget of “at least $10 million” (R150m).

The movie would be “authentic” she said, adding they planned to use SA film talent in front of and behind the cameras, with much of it shot in South Africa.

Rattray would not say how much Maven paid for the rights but said they were moved by the “unlikely friendship of two people from different worlds”.

Saturday Argus