Emma Watson Tapped for Sofia Coppolas The Bling Ring

Posted on Wednesday, February 29th, 2012 by

Over the past decade,Sofia Coppolahas demonstrated a knack for working with talented young actresses. Whether its Scarlett Johansson in Lost in Translation, Kirsten Dunst in The Virgin Suicides,or Elle Fanning in Somewhere, Coppola not only knows how to pick them, but what to do with them once she has them. Now the latest star to join the club is Emma Watson, whos signed up for one of the leads in Coppolas ensemble picture The Bling Ring. More details after the jump.

Since the Harry Potter film series ended last year, Watsons moved quickly to line up a string of non-Hermione roles. She had a supporting role in Novembers My Week with Marilynand will appear in The Perks of Being a Wallflowerlater this year, and has Guillermo del Toros Beauty and the Beastand David Yates Your Voice in My Headlined up for the nearish future as well.

Watsons exact role in The Bling Ringhasnt been revealed, and Coppola hasnt offered much in the way of plot details at this point. However, we do know that the story will be based on the real-life So Cal teen group who burglarized the homes of Paris Hilton, Rachel Bilson, Orlando Bloom, Lindsay Lohan, and other young, wealthy celebrities. (Read Vanity Fairs report here.) The events have been adapted for the screen before, with Dick Clark Productions and star Jennifer Grey, but somehow I suspect Coppolas take will be a little more polished.

Coppolas interest in the lives of the rich and famous is nothing new, but The Bling Ringwill approach the topic from a fresh angle. Producers, which include Coppola, Roman Coppola, and Youree Henley, describe the film as taking a sobering view of our modern culture, with a specific focus on celebrity culture.

If Watson wants to move on from Harry Potter, a project with Coppola seems like a smart move indeed. Coppolas given textured, significant roles to her young female stars in the past no one-note girlfriend gigs here. Moreover, if Watsons set to play a criminal, I cant think of a better way for her to distance herself from the bookish, goody-two-shoes Hermione.