Celia Imrie, Isla Fisher, Andie MacDowell & Isabella Rossellini Among Cast For ‘The Temptation Of Gracie’, WestEnd Launches For Cannes Market

EXCLUSIVE: The starry packages keep on coming at the Cannes market.

The latest is comedy The Temptation Of Graciestarring Celia Imrie (The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel), Isla Fisher (Wedding Crashers), Andie MacDowell (Maid), Rupert Everett (My Policeman), Franco Nero (John Wick Chapter 2), Viola Prettejohn (The Crown), and Isabella Rossellini (La Chimera). More cast are set to join the ensemble.

Imrie will play Gracie Burton, an ordinary widow who lives quietly in Devon, but who splashes out on a week’s cookery course at a beautiful castello in Italy. Unbeknownst to everyone, she is hiding an extraordinary secret. With her estranged workaholic daughter Carina (Fisher) and teenage granddaughter Anastasia (tbc) reluctantly in tow, the three women rediscover each other and the sensual delights of Italy. And Gracie starts to peel back the secret past she has not faced in over 40 years.

WestEnd Films has acquired international rights and is launching in Cannes with UTA handling domestic.

Based on Santa Montefiore’s novel, Claire McCarthy (The Colour Room) co-wrote the script alongside producer Chris Coen, and will direct the adaptation. Filming in Italy and UK is due to start before the end of the year.

Chris Coen (Funny Games) produces with Eleonora Granata Jenkinson for Melograno Films (Monica).

Santa Montefiore, whose novels have sold more than six million copies worldwide, serves as executive producer as does Richard Mansell (A Dangerous Method). Casting is by Claudia Blunt (Bonus Track), and director of photography is Denson Baker (Ophelia).

Director McCarthy said: “My hope is for the film to feel like a warm hug – effervescent, charming, full of wit, delight and humour within an ultimately redemptive, deep, emotional and hopeful story.”

WestEnd’s managing director Maya Amsellem commented: “We love working with female filmmakers, and Claire is an incredibly talented director who has consistently delivered visually sumptuous and performance driven work. With this impressive ensemble we know each of these talented actors will bring humour and spark to this cast of characters, immersed in a stunning Italian landscape and mouthwatering Italian cooking.”

Celia Imre is represented by Sarah Spear and Grace Clissold at Curtis Brown Group Ltd. Isla Fisher is represented by Sarah Spear and Grace Clissold at Curtis Brown Group Ltd. Andie MacDowell is represented by Gersh Agency and RMS Productions. Rupert Everett is represented by Saskia Mulder at The Artists Partnership. Franco Nero is represented by Michelle Burke at Gavin Barker Associates. Viola Prettejohn is represented by Maya Hambro at Insight Management & Production. Isabella Rossellini is represented by Houston Costa at UTA.