Tilda Swinton to Play Auntie Mame

Tilda Swinton is, without a doubt, a fascinating character. She has refused to play by the rules of Hollywood, and instead has created a unique career path that defies expectations at every turn. Most recently, Swinton has been receiving rave reviews for her turn as a despondent mother of a troubled child in the indie flick We Need to Talk About Kevin, including a Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress, and an anticipated nomination for the Oscar as well. The New York Timesprofiled the actress as part of their coverage of the best performances of 2011.

First of all, the Times' Charles Isherwood leads the article by straight-up calling the actress an alien, which may seem odd or even insulting, but is a common label that Swinton has come to not only accept, but embrace. She herself notes that she, "lives on another planet"--though she is actually referring to rural Scotland where she resides, as opposed to the busy, cluttered world of Tinseltown. Isherwood discusses Swinton's otherworldly beauty, her consistantly eclectic choices in roles, her critically-acclaimed, meditative performances, and her mission to remain outside of the movie industry's stock conventions. While this is interesting and all, the most exciting tidbit was when Swinton revealed a project she is currently working on. It seems the actress is once again looking to surprise audiences by taking on one of the most eccentric, campy, and flat-out fabulous roles ever: Auntie Mame. The story of an orphaned boy sent to live with his free spirited, vivacious aunt, Mame has been portrayed by legendary actresses Rosalind Russell and Angela Lansbury (in the musical adaptation Mame), and now Swinton--known for her meatier, more dramatic roles--is working on the remake. We'll be the first to admit, it's an interesting proposal, but we're certainly looking forward to seeing Tilda's take on the iconic kook. It sounds like the film is still in its infantile stages, so we have a long wait before we get the chance to see Auntie Mame rise again, but it certainly gives us something to dream of.