Vanessa Kirby is entering the world Ridley Scott empire. The actor is in talks to star in Kitbag, Scott’s historical film starring Joaquin Phoenix as Napoleon, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed. Kirby will play Josephine, a role that previously belonged to Jodie Comer.
From Apple, Kitbag centers on the Frenchman’s rise on the battlefield and in politics, while focusing on the love story between himself and Josephine.
Kirby, who played Princess Margaret in the first two seasons of Netflix’s The Crown, received an Oscar nomination for Pieces of a Woman and has also appeared in films such as Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw and Mission: Impossible — Fallout. She will return to the Tom Cruise franchise for the upcoming Mission: Impossible VII.
Comer, who is in the awards conversation with Scott’s recent The Last Duel, dropped out of Kitbag due to scheduling issues with her first West End stage production, Prima Facie.
“Unfortunately, due to COVID and changes of schedule, I don’t think I can make Kitbag work right now due to a scheduling conflict,” the actress told THR’s Scott Feinberg on his Awards Chatter podcast. Kitbag is to start shooting in Europe later this month, while Comer is due to begin rehearsals for her first West End stage production in March, for a limited engagement from April to June.
Kirby is represented by CAA, Hamilton Hodell, Linden Entertainment and Ziffren Brittenham. Deadline first reported the news.