My dream cast for Sister To A Star by Eloise Smith
Sister To A Star is a wild, funny Hollywood thriller for 9-12 year olds. It’s about two very different twins – Tallulah is a wannabee movie star; Evie is a camera-shy tomboy. When Tallulah lands the lead role in a Hollywood movie, Evie is sent too, but as her sister’s understudy. Resentment ensues, until Tallulah goes missing on set. Suddenly, it’s up to Evie to rescue her…
As I was writing Sister To A Star, I would imagine who might play my characters in a film of the book. Finding 12-year-old identical twins with British accents would be no small challenge. Twin child actors are in huge demand in Hollywood as they allow film crews to get round stringent child working hours. No wonder the Olsen twins shot to fame in their youth.
Perhaps then, a real life child star like 13 year old Julia Butters could play both twins. Having played precocious child actress in Once Upon A Time in Hollywood she could act Tallulah beautifully. Then with some clever camera trickery, she could also play Evie – just as Lindsay Lohan played both twins in Parent Trap.
Tallulah’s spoilt and villainous 14-year-old co-star, Junior Wilde, could be played by Jacob Tremblay. Having starred in Good Boys he’d be a dab hand at being vile – demanding blue M&Ms, being cruel to the film crew and all his exotic pets. As well as being vindictive towards anyone stealing his limelight, especially Tallulah.
The three stunt kids who help Evie in her rescue mission would ideally need real sword-fighting, tightrope-walking, horse-riding and free-climbing skills. As well as feeling comfortable jumping through hoops of fire. So child actors with experience in serious action movies with dare-devil stunts would be perfect. The first stunt kid – honest, kind Cat – could be played by trained dancer and ex-Batgirl Ella Jay Basco from DC movie Birds of Prey.
The second stunt kid – dependable, committed, super-athletic Bench Press – could be played by Lonnie Chavis from This is Us. As long as he could up his horse-riding stunts, that is.
And the third stunt kid – the unstoppable optimist and climbing expert, Spider – would be perfect played by Noah Jupe from Honey Boy.
Finally, onto the ostentatious film director, aptly called Austin Tayschuss. I imagine Hugh Grant playing him, with the same theatricalism and sartorial exuberance with which he played the narcissistic, aging actor, Phoenix Buchanan in Paddington 2. He’d toss frappucinos diva-ishly, suck up to Tallulah sickeningly and dismiss Evie cruelly. Deliciously hateable!
However, enough of my fantasies of the film of my book. And back to the actual book.
It’s available at Amazon, Waterstones, WH Smith and The Book Depository. Happy reading!
My Shelves Are Full 