Which actor was originally planned for the leading role of ‘Amélie’?
Out of every French film released in the 21st century, Amélie is arguably the most well-known. Emerging on screens back in 2001, the whimsical romantic comedy is still beloved by many, and it even spawned a musical. Many of us return to it because it is simply so charming and sweet, reminding us of what life is all about.
The film follows the titular character, who works at a café in Paris with a group of eccentric staff members. We’re introduced to the characters’ likes and dislikes, which are told through a series of clips and narration, highlighting the little quirks that make everyone so unique. However, before this, we are taken back to Amélie’s childhood, where several experiences, such as her father mistakenly diagnosing her with a heart condition and her mother’s death, greatly shape her adult life.
The death of Princess Diana kicks off the narrative, with Amélie dropping a bottle lid in shock, leading a bathroom tile to come loose and reveal a hidden time capsule within the wall. From here, Amélie sets out to do good, returning the decades-old box to its owner and helping others to find true meaning in their lives.
Over the course of the narrative, Amélie learns that she must prioritise her own happiness, too, eventually weaving a complex, whimsical web to attract the attention of a man she likes, Nino. Saturated with bright greens and reds, the film feels like it exists in a magical version of Paris, where Amélie’s imagination illuminates everything with greater vivacity and wonder.
It’s hard to imagine anyone else in the role of Amélie other than Audrey Tautou. The character doesn’t actually speak an awful lot compared to the average Hollywood movie protagonist; rather, she often leads with her facial expressions, allowing her imagination to do a lot of the talking. The role made Tautou a star, and to this day, most people associate the actor with her role as the short-haired, introverted French icon.
Yet, the director, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, actually wrote the part of Amélie with another actor in mind – a British one. It’s strange to consider someone from another country playing the character, but Jeunet was actually interested in having Emily Watson cast in the main role.
Watson impressed audiences with her performance in Lars Von Trier’s Breaking The Waves in 1996, and she subsequently appeared in movies like Metroland, The Boxer, and Angela’s Ashes. With the idea of having Amélie’s father hail from a British background, Jeunet wrote the screenplay and then asked Watson if she wanted to play the leading role.
Unfortunately for the filmmaker, Watson couldn’t accept the part. Not only was she already attached to Robert Altman’s Gosford Park, but she didn’t feel as though her French skills were adequate enough. While Watson is a great actor, it’s hard to picture her playing Amélie, which Tautou did so well. It helped to launch Tautou’s career, while Watson also went on to some big projects like Punch-Drunk Love and Corpse Bride.
