Eva Mendes will be playing Maria Callas
The story of Maria Callas, renowned Greek opera singer, and Aristotle Onassis, the richest man of his time, will be brought to life on screen in 2011. The film is based on the book, Greek Fire by Nicholas Gage, a Greek author who’s family comes from Epirus. The script has been developed by Jullian Fellowes, and will star Eva Mendez as Maria Callas.
The book, and soon to be film, unveils the scandalous love affair of Callas and Onassis and the significance the relationship plays on their lives. Gage is credited as one of the first investigative reporters and was the first to work on the Watergate scandal. He also reported for the NY Times. Through Gage’s expert eye, and extensive research we discover shocking information about Callas and Aristotle’s story. Now, to be translated onto film. Onassis betrayed Callas by marrying the widowed Jackie Kennedy in 1968.
Gaumont, France’s leading film production and distribution company has paired up with producer, Nick Wechsler behind the movie. Gage will also be co-producing.
Gaumont CEO, Cristof Riandee explains the interest in working on this project, “This is a story of the impact that love can have on a star, Maria was so in love with Onassis that when their affair ended, she began to lose her voice, and there is a famous moment in Paris where she could not sing the third and fourth acts of an opera. Nick wanted to be more international, and we want to produce more U.S. movies. We have the same taste and have developed a very collaborative relationship, which is very important.”
Source: GreekBoston.com
I do hope that accuracy will be a feature of the film. The excellent British Tv documentary by Tony Palmer on Maria Callas, featured Italian director Franco Zefirelli saying that Onassis gave her ‘not a penny, no jewels, just some share in a boat’ This is a lie. When Onassis died in Paris, Callas telephoned Christina his daughter and asked her to call by her apartment to collect all the jewellery her father had given her. Callas told Christina that she would never wear them again, and that as she was young, they belonged to her, his daughter. Christina was very busy and was leaving Paris the next day, so could not collect them personally. She sent her chauffeur instead to pick them up. This was told to me by Giuseppe di Stephano, in Athens, when he came to judge the Maria Callas Scholarship Competition. My late Father Constantine Haritakis, an eminemt art dealer, was a close friend of Jackie and Aristo Onassis,and attended their wedding; my sister Angela was a classmate of Christina in Lausanne in 1965. When Greek Fire was published in London, shortly afterwards Nicholas Gage attended an event there. I managed to speak to him at his hotel to tell him about the matter of the jewellery. He asked me to drop a line….Alas I did not.
Dear Ilya – please contact us. Andrew and Lindy Martin in Sydney. Love to discuss the movie with you
Helloooo there Andrew and Lindy,
What a surpise! Please cont me soonest. Are you on skype? I am. Address is ian.haritakis etc
How is sis Anne and John? Trust that old folks are still kicking.. Cant wait for your news.
Yours ever,
Ilya Ian