The search for leads continues for Clint Eastwood's remake of A Star Is Born. This summer Bradley Cooper was in talks to play a past his prime rock star opposite Beyoncé Knowles, who was attached to headline as an aspiring singer who is taken under his wing. But months have passed without Cooper signing on, and as the project still flails at securing a start date, Beyoncé is sashaying away.
Varietycites the singer's fast-filling schedule as to blame for her departure from the project, and goes on to report the male lead is still uncast. This doesn't mean Cooper is necessarily out of the running, but there's no offer before him for the project, and following The Hangover Part III, which is now filming, he's set to shoot David O. Russell's untitled follow-up to Silver Linings Playbook. And with that comedy already garnering Oscar-buzz his dance card beyond will likely fill up fast.
Besides Cooper, Eastwood has reportedly approached A-List leading men such as Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Cruise, Christian Bale, and Johnny Depp for the part, but all seem to have turned him down. Perhaps they agree with Sean that Eastwood's best days are behind him.
While Warner Bros refuses to comment on the Beyoncé's departure, studio insiders insist that Eastwood already has another charismatic chanteuse in mind for his Star role: Grammy-winning jazz artist Esperanza Spalding. However, they say that no offers for the female lead will be made until the film secures its male star. In short, it seems Eastwood is back to square one with no leading lady, no leading man, and no sign as to when A Star Is Born will roll into production.
