''Leading Lady Parts'' is a 2018

short film A short film is any motion picture that is short enough in running time not to be considered a feature film. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences defines a short film as "an original motion picture that has a running time of 40 minutes ...

directed by Jessica Swale. Inspired by the Time's Up movement, the film stars several A-list actresses auditioning for a leading lady role, offering a critique of the casting process. It premiered on

BBC Four BBC Four is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was launched on 2 March 2002

in 2018 and is available for free on

YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...

Synopsis

Several A-list actresses are auditioning for a film role known as the "leading lady part". The casting directors ask increasingly ridiculous requests of the actresses, including for them to lose weight, smile more, undress, put on more makeup, and, in the case of British Asian actress

Gemma Chan Gemma Chan (born 29 November 1982) is an English actress. Born and raised in London, Chan attended the Newstead Wood School for Girls and studied law at Worcester College, Oxford before choosing to pursue a career in acting instead, enrolling at t ...

, if she could "be more white". Finally, Tom Hiddleston auditions and is immediately cast.

Cast

* Panelist 1 (Boss) - Catherine Tate * Panelist 2 -

Gemma Arterton Gemma Christina Arterton (born 2 February 1986) is an English actress and producer. After her stage debut in Shakespeare's ''Love's Labour's Lost'' at the Globe Theatre (2007), Arterton made her feature film debut in the comedy ''St Trinian's'' ...

* Panelist 3 - Anthony Welsh * Actress 1 -

Emilia Clarke Emilia Isobel Euphemia Rose Clarke (born 23 October 1986) is an English actress. She is best known for her portrayal as Daenerys Targaryen in '' Game of Thrones''. She has received various accolades, including an Empire Award, a Saturn Award, ...

* Actress 2 - Stacy Martin * Actress 3 -

Felicity Jones Felicity Rose Hadley Jones (born 17 October 1983) is a British actress. She started her professional acting career as a child, appearing in '' The Treasure Seekers'' (1996) at age 12. She went on to play Ethel Hallow for one series of the tele ...

* Actress 4 - Florence Pugh * Actress 5 -

* Actress 6 - Lena Headey * Actress 7 - Wunmi Mosaku * Assistant - Katie Leung * Actor - Tom Hiddleston

Production

The idea for a film inspired by the Time's Up movement was put forth by British actress

after she had attended several meetings as part of the movement. Jessica Swale wrote the script and within three weeks the cast and funding had been secured. It was filmed over the span of a few days at Warner Bros. Studio, Leavesden. The film was produced by Arterton's production company Rebel Park Productions, with Arterton crediting

for the idea of the film as a collaboration. Actresses who appeared as themselves in the film included

, Lena Headey,

, Wunmi Mosaku, Katie Leung, Stacy Martin, and Florence Pugh. The casting directors were played by Gemma Arterton, Catherine Tate, and Anthony Welsh. While the film was originally to be produced by an all-female crew, this proved impossible for the filmmakers. The film is the first in a planned series of short films that address similar issues relating to the Time's Up and Me Too movements.

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, id=tt8743180, title=Leading Lady Parts 2018 television films 2018 short films British television films British short films British feminist films 2010s feminist films 2018 films 2010s English-language films 2010s British films