LOS ANGELES - Makers of the upcoming James Bond movie "Casino Royale" have cast little-known French actress Eva Green as the next femme fatale to pair up with agent 007.
Green, 25, who made her 2003 film debut in "The Dreamers," about a French brother and sister who befriend ayoung American during the Paris student riots of 1968, will play the enticing Vesper Lynd opposite English actor Daniel Craig in his first performance as Bond.
Last year, she appeared in the big-screen crusades drama "Kingdom of Heaven."
In landing the coveted role of the next "Bond girl," the French actress edged out a list of contenders reported in the Hollywood trade press to have included Oscar winner Charlize Theron, as well as Thandie Newton, Olivia Wilde and Kimberly Davies.
Distributor Columbia Pictures also announced that Danish-born actor Mads Mikkelsen had signed on to play Bond's villainous nemesis Le Chiffre. American actor Jeffrey Wright, who co-starred in "Syriana," has joined the "Casino Royale" cast as undercover CIA agent Felix Leiter.
Production on "Casino Royale," the 21st movie in the multibillion-dollar Bond film franchise that began with "Dr. No" in 1962, started on January 21 in Prague, and the movie is slated for release in November. Other production locations will include the Bahamas, Italy and Britain.
The film, directed by Martin Campbell, is being adapted from the 1953 Ian Fleming novel that introduced the Bond character.
Craig, the latest actor to fill the tuxedo of the British spy with a licence to kill, was named in October to assume the role from Pierce Brosnan, who starred in the last four Bond movies.
The most recent film, 2002's "Die Another Day," which paired Brosnan with actress Halle Berry, grossed more than US$425 million in worldwide ticket sales.
