Little-known actress lands Thunderbirds role
British actress Sophia Myles is set to star as Lady Penelope in the live-action movie version of Thunderbirds, it emerged today.
The little-known 22-year-old has landed the role of the glamorous secret agent in the £50m (€76.4m) film.
Model Sophie Dahl and Bond girl Rosamund Pike had both been linked to the role.
British film company Working Title, makers of Four Weddings And A Funeral, Notting Hill and Bridget Jones’s Diary, announced today they were going ahead with the film.
A live-action version of the Sixties TV puppet show has been mooted for years but never got off the ground.
Myles has not been officially confirmed as Lady Penelope but an insider said the role was hers and an announcement would be made shortly.
It is a big step for the London actress who has never taken the lead role in a film before.
Myles has previously had small parts in the Johnny Depp film From Hell, Mansfield Park and last year’s The Abduction Club.
She has appeared mostly in period dramas, including TV adaptations of Oliver Twist and The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby.
Lady Penelope’s loyal chauffeur Parker is set to be played by Ron Cook, who has appeared in Chocolat and Mike Leigh’s Topsy Turvy.
Filming begins in March and will take place at Pinewood Studios and on location in the Seychelles.
Thunderbirds was a massive hit in the Sixties, charting the adventures of the Tracy family and their top secret organisation International Rescue.
The series has been shown in 66 countries and has an estimated 100 million fans around the globe. It recently returned to BBC2 and attracted audiences of 3.5 million.
The new film is unlikely to feature any big Hollywood names – instead its makers are hoping the recreations of the Tracy family’s futuristic craft Thunderbirds 1, 2, 3 and 4 will provide the biggest draw to moviegoers.
The film could spark a new merchandising frenzy similar to the Harry Potter phenomenon. The Tracy Island toy has been one of the best-selling toys over the last two Christmases.
Director Jonathan Frakes, responsible for the Star Trek films Insurrection and First Contact, said: “It is an honour to be asked to direct this film.
“In creating the feature film of Thunderbirds, I want it to appeal to both die-hard fans and those who have never heard of the original series so they all queue up and see and enjoy it together.”
Thunderbirds creator Gerry Anderson is reportedly upset at not being consulted about the film.
“I’m not going to ask anyone for any favours. All Working Title have to do is negotiate with me. I do not know why I have not been asked to help,” he said in an interview with Teletext.
“It was my number one ambition to make a big movie. At the moment I won’t be involved.”
