‘Eat, Pray, Love’ Movie Update: Bardem Signs On

It’s been a couple of years since word came down that Julia Roberts would play the lead in the film adaptation of Elizabeth Gilbert’s juggernaut of a travel memoir, “Eat, Pray, Love.” Now, Variety reports that Javier Bardem will join the project as Felipe, the Brazilian suitor who pops up in Bali. Richard Jenkins has also signed on to play Richard, the ashram Texan.

It’s a heavyweight cast—Bardem and Roberts have a pair of Academy Awards between them, while Jenkins was nominated last year for “The Visitor”—and suggests that the movie’s producers are going for more than just box office success: They want Oscar. I’m happy with the casting choices so far (although I find Julia Roberts a little one-note sometimes, and would rather have seen maybe a Laura Dern type take on the role) but I think the movie will really stand or fall on the script. A memoir that focuses on the internal as much as “Eat, Pray, Love” does could be a little tricky to adapt.

“Eat, Pray, Love” is slated for release in 2011. Anyone else excited to see it when the time comes?

©2026 World Hum, All Rights Reserved