Legions of Twilight fans will receive a lesson in quintessential Americana sometime next year. I think Focus Features would have loved to have made this announcement next week, but the giddy Kristen Stewart revealed to the paper trade (which ThePlaylist picked up on) that she’s on tap for role of “Mary Lou” the child-bride of Neal Cassady surrogate Dean Moriarty (Garrett Hedlund) in Walter Salles’ adaptation of Jack Keruoac’s iconic Beat-Generation. The film to screen transfer of On the Road has consumed the helmer for some time now, and hs even resulted in a documentary film which the filmmaker introduced to audiences at the 53rd San Fran Film Fest last week.
Based on Jack Kerouac classic 1957 novel, which played a role in giving rise to the Beat movement, is narrated by Kerouac’s thinly veiled alter ego Sal Paradise, who gets inspired to hit the road and see America. The story follows his ups and downs as he hitchhikes, hops trains, meets other travelers, struggles for meals and explores the themes of freedom and longing.
Production would begin this summer and will probably cross into more than one State. At this point all I can say is that the actress has added some instant cred to her career and that next year’s Cannes edition is going to be stellar.
