Deadline is reporting that Miramax’s adaptation of Liz Jensen’s best-seller, The 9th Life Of Louis Drax, has secured its female lead in Canadian actress Sarah Gadon. On the heels of yesterday’s news that Breaking Bad‘s Aaron Paul had joined, the fantasy adaptation continues to make leaps and bounds.
The studio have Horns director Alexandre Aja in the director’s chair, which will make for a heady recipe indeed. The film follows the titular Louis Drax (as yet uncast), a clumsy boy who has spent a lifetime getting into a host of narrow squeaks. It’s only on his ninth birthday when the tyke suffers a near-fatal fall from a cliff that the story bends reality as we know it. Fifty Shades Of Grey’s Jamie Dornan is attached to play Dr. Allan Pascale, a clinician who comes to Louis’ aid.
Gadon’s role is unspecified, but as the lead, we can only assume she’ll play Louis’ mother, who also suffers a massive psychological blow after the events on her son’s birthday. The actress has been steadily crafting a solid resume, with an array of roles over the last few years. Most notably she starred in three David Cronenberg’s movies; A Dangerous Method, Cosmopolis and Maps To The Stars. In addition, she’s snagged smaller parts in Antiviral, What If, The Amazing Spider-Man 2 and Enemy. She’s on the rise and with a versatile resume, she seems the perfect fit for this eery little flick.
With production set to commence next month in Vancouver, The 9th Life Of Louis Drax is shaping up to be a strangely captivating life indeed.