James Dean‘s life is getting the big screen treatment, and the project has officially found its director. With the right person set to helm the film, the quest is underway to secure producers and the appropriate actors to play Dean and other key figures in the life of the young actor, who tragically died at the age of 24.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, writer and director Guy Guido has secured the rights to the 2006 memoir Surviving James Dean and has tasked himself with writing and directing the feature. Based on the work of the late author William Bast, Surviving James Dean is an insightful look into the author’s five-year relationship with the Rebel Without a Cause actor, including how they met at UCLA, engaged in a relationship with the same woman, and had their own sexual relationship. Dean ultimately died five years after meeting Bast in a tragic accident at the age of 24, with the actor becoming the stuff of Hollywood legend thanks to the mark he left on the industry despite his short life. News of the film also coincides with the anniversary of Dean’s passing. Guido had this to say about bringing this story to life on the big screen:
“I have been a fan and historian of James Dean since I was 18 years old, so I knew about his ‘friend’ Willie, even when information about their relationship was straight-washed by the Hollywood machine. As a filmmaker, I love telling the story of a celebrity’s life in their coming-of-age period. As a gay man, I was particularly drawn to Bast’s unique story.”
Guy Guido’s Film Will Look at the Intimate Relationship Between James Dean and William Bast
Guido’s script is expected to follow Bast’s memoir closely, from their first meeting to Dean’s death in 1955. Bast’s book also details the author’s life following the actor’s passing, as he was reluctant to comment on his relationship with Dean in detail, in large part due to the environment regarding same-sex intimacy in the 1950s. In Hollywood, someone of Dean’s stature was looked at as an object of desire by most women due to the bad boy persona he exuded in some of his projects released posthumously, particularly Rebel Without a Cause. The movie will also see Bast coming to terms with his own sexuality through his relationship with Dean. Bast ultimately passed away in 2015 at the age of 84.
While the film has yet to receive financing, Guido has engaged in several meetings to find the right producers to bring his vision to life. Another big task will be finding the right performers to portray Dean and Bast, as their chemistry is essential to making the film work. Guido will also be seeking the perfect actress to play Bast’s mother, and the director is extremely focused on nailing the casting. “I am obsessed with getting the look right when it comes to casting and directing a film about a famous person,” said Guido. “I want people to feel as if they are watching the real James Dean on the screen.”
While the young actor’s life has not received the big screen treatment, he was the subject of a 2001 television film featuring James Franco as Dean. The TV movie premiered on TNT and received strong reviews, with Franco going on to win a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Miniseries or Television Film, as well as a Critics’ Choice Award for Best Actor in a Picture Made for Television. The actor also received nominations from the Primetime Emmy Awards and the Screen Actors Guild Awards for his performance.
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