Eckhart and Jenkins Get Drunk on ‘Rum Diary’

Posted by Paige MacGregor (paige@filmschoolrejects.com) on February 10, 2009

Could it be a coincidence that both Aaron Eckhart and Oscar nominee Richard Jenkins announced that they will be joining the cast of Rum Diary only five days after we found out that Pineapple Express hottie Amber Heard will be taking on the very-frequently-naked role of Chenault in the film?

I suppose it could be, considering that she was only the second actor to confirm joining the cast of the Hunter S. Thompson adaptation. It would be difficult to make a movie with only two people (although, it could be argued that Tom Hanks basically made a movie by himself), so it makes sense that other actors would be joining the cast. It will just be interesting to see how quickly they join the cast now that the world knows which Hollywood blonde will be baring all for Rum Diary.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Eckhart, who is finalizing negotiations for the film, will be part of a love triangle in which he must compete with Johnny Depp for Heard’s affection. Rum Diary, adapted and directed by Bruce Robinson, tells the tale of a washed-up, hard-drinking journalist named Paul Kemp (Depp… but the role’s description begs the question of whether Robert Downey, Jr. was considered for the part) in 1950s Puerto Rico. Eckhart is lined up to play Sanderson, a wealthy landowner who believes everything has a price and who introduces Kemp to a different standard of living. Filming is scheduled to begin in March 30th in Puerto Rico.

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