Beyonce leaves Eastwood’s ‘A Star Is Born’

Beyonce leaves Eastwood’s ‘A Star Is Born’
Posted by Wilson Morales

October 9, 2012

Source: Variety

With the male lead still up in the air, helmer Clint Eastwood‘s “A Star Is Born” remake is facing another challenge as Beyonce Knowles has fallen out of the project.

Warner Bros. had no comment, but sources said her schedule was already packed and that without a set start date the scheduling became too complicated for the singer.

Knowles was set to play the role Barbra Streisand last limned in the 1976 version as the promising young performer who falls in love with an older fading star, played by Kris Kristofferson in that version.

Jon Peters, Bill Gerber and Basil Iwanyk are producing the remake, with Will Fetters penning the most recent script. Production had to push due to Beyonce’s pregnancy and Eastwood took an acting gig on “Trouble With the Curve” during the hiatus.

In a statement given to The Hollywood Reporter, Beyonce said:  “I was looking forward to the production of A Star Is Born and the opportunity to work with Clint Eastwood.  For months we tried to coordinate our schedules to bring this remake to life, but it was just not possible. Hopefully in the future we will get a chance to work together. “

Studio insiders said that with Knowles now off the project, there has been interest, at least from Eastwood’s end, in jazz musician Esperanza Spaulding. Sources emphasized, though, that until the male lead is locked, no discussions or offers will be out to the female lead.

Eastwood has approached a number of top male stars about playing the fading star, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Cruise, Christian Bale, Johnny Depp and, most recently, Bradley Cooper.

Though there is no offer out to Cooper at this time, there’s still a possibility he could come onboard, though Cooper, too, has a busy skid. He is currently filming “The Hangover III” with plans to move onto David O. Russell’s untitled pic after the shoot is finished.