ISSA MAZUMDER is a studious, good-girl who decides to fight fire-with-fire against her "wicked" new stepsister, Cat Morena. For Issa, who's half African-American and half Indian, I pick Parminder Nagra of ER and BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM. Parminder has that great combination of lookingsuper-intelligent, yet can get gorgeous just fine if she needs to.
For Issa's arch-nemesis, the beautiful latina CAT MORENA, I pick Vanessa Ferlito from GRINDHOUSE. This young Latina looks just like Angelina Jolie from 10 years ago and she is perfect as the cool, icy, passionate Cat Morena who hates that her life is being taken over by her new "perfect" step-sister Issa.
For Issa's mom the glamourous, bohemian mother, ALISHA, I pick Catherine Zeta Jones. Catherine is the person I imagined the whole time writing the story and I even refer to her in chapter 1!
For Diego, the Cuban-American stepfather of Issa and father of Cat, I picked Ted King from General Hospital. Oooh, Latino, slightly dangerous, and handsome :)
For Issa's best friend and crush, I picked the way-too-old-for-the-role but too-perfect Sendhil
Ramamurthy from Heroes.I do have to agree with the people who say that casting people of color is very hard in movies. My choices (espeically for people in their teens) were pretty limited. We got to get more people in color in Hollywood (especially hot young teen girls) people!!!
Have a great week!
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Dona Sarkar-Mishra
HOW TO SALSA IN A SARI - January 2008 from Harlequin's Kimani Tru
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5 comments:
Terrific cast, Dona! Parminder Nagra is absolutely adorable. I can't wait for your book... I just know it's going to be amazing!
You're so right about the lack of diversity in Hollywood. Do you think the dearth (sp?) of Indian actors and actresses has anything to do with the success of the Bollywood/Indian film industry? Maybe with prominent Indian (or central asian? or south asian?) actors/characters in LOST and Heroes, and the international success of movies like Monsoon Wedding and Bride and Prejudice things will start to change.
Hugs,
TLC
These people are all gorgeous. I can't believe how much that girl looks like Angelina Jolie!
I can't wait for your book!
xo,
Steph
Hey, Dona, we met at Janet Lee Carey's Dragon's Keep party - congrats again on your book! It sounds terrific.
Holly
TLC: I think Bollywood does have a lot to do with it...also a lot of Indian kids just don't get into entertainment...there is tremendous social pressure to pursue "for sure" careers like engineer, medicine, business, etc.
I know that's why I became an engineer!
Steph: seeing Vanessa on-screen is insane...she looks and sounds just like AJ!
Holly: Thanks so muhc, I'll link to your blog account now :)
I can see how that would be hard. And you're so right. We need more young actors and actresses of color to choose from. When you said that Issa is half African- American and Indian, I must say that I wasn't picturing Catherine Zeta-Jones.
And I really like Sendhil. I love his accent and he really is quite handsome. I went to see "Blind Dating" yesterday and he was in it!
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