News > Portman Drops Out of "Wuthering Heights"

Natalie Portman had been one of the driving creative forces behind the upcoming adaptations of Emily Bronte's "Wuthering Heights," but now it seems that a scheduling conflict has led her to drop out of the lead female part of Catherine Earnshaw. Variety reports that it is unclear at this point what film she'll be choosing over "Heights," but one project that is known to be coming up on her docket is her feature directorial debut "A Tale of Love and Darkness," based on the memoir of Israeli writer Amos Oz. 

Director John Maybury ("The Edge of Love") is currently looking for a replacement for the actress, and is close to making a deal with up-and-coming theater actor Michael Fassbender, who is eying the role of Heathcliff. Olivia Hetreed ("The Girl with a Pearl Earring") wrote the screenplay.

I actually think it's a good thing that Portman is backing out of another run-of-the-mill heritage film and choosing to take the directorial reins of some new material that's outside of the traditional Western canon. I admire that ambition and hope it pays off for her.

-David Morgan