London, 13Nov09
See-Saw Films and Bedlam Productions commenced principal photography today on THE KING'S SPEECH, the poignant and uplifting true story of the unorthodox relationship between England's reluctant King George VI, plagued by a nervous stammer, and the irreverent Australian speech therapist who cures him.
THE KING'S SPEECH is based on the true story of Queen Elizabeth II's father and his remarkable friendship with maverick speech therapist Lionel Logue. As the second son of George V, Prince Albert "Bertie" was not expected to ascend to the throne, but when his brother Edward chose to abdicate to marry Wallis Simpson, Bertie was his successor and in 1936 he became King George VI. Thrust into the international spotlight, he engaged Lionel Logue who helped him find a voice to lead the nation.
Three-time BAFTA nominee Colin Firth (A Single Man, Mamma Mia!) stars as Prince Albert, alongside his Shakespeare in Love colleague, Oscar®-winner Geoffrey Rush (Pirates of the Caribbean, Shine), as speech therapist Lionel Logue. The multi-award-winning cast includes Helena Bonham Carter (Harry Potter, Sweeney Todd) as Queen Elizabeth (later the Queen Mother), with BAFTA nominee Jennifer Ehle (Pride and Glory, Pride and Prejudice) as Logue's wife Myrtle, Guy Pearce (The Hurt Locker, Memento) as the abdicating King Edward VIII, Derek Jacobi (The Golden Compass, Gosford Park) as the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Cosmo Lang, Timothy Spall (The Damned United) as Winston Churchill and Michael Gambon (Harry Potter) as King George V.
Tom Hooper, the Emmy-winning director of the acclaimed John Adams, whose previous feature, The Damned United, starred Michael Sheen and Timothy Spall, is directing from a screenplay by David Seidler (Tucker: The Man and His Dream). Produced by See-Saw's Iain Canning (Control, Hunger), Emile Sherman (Candy, Rabbit Proof Fence) and Bedlam's Gareth Unwin (Exam), THE KING'S SPEECH is being filmed for seven weeks on various locations in England including the Lancaster House, the Bradford Bull Stadium, Ely Cathedral, Harley Street, Battersea Power Station and Knebworth.
The Weinstein Company and the UK Film Council presents in association with Momentum Pictures, Aegis Film Fund, Molinare London, a See-Saw Films/Bedlam Productions THE KING'S SPEECH. International Sales are being handled by The Weinstein Company and Film Nation. The UK rights to THE KING'S SPEECH have been acquired by Momentum Pictures, North American by The Weinstein Company and Australian and New Zealand by Transmission Films.
For further enquiries please contact DDA PR: 020 7932 9800
Bronwyn Pyke: bronwyn.pyke@ddapr.com
Emma Davie: emmadavie@jumpynewt.com
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