Knoxville Sets out on World Voyage
March 14, 2003By IAN MOHR
The Hollywood Reporter
NEW YORK - Johnny Knoxville and 2003 Cesar Award winner Cecile de France have signed to star alongside Jackie Chan, Steve Coogan and Jim Broadbent in Walden Media's upcoming Around the World in 80 Days.
A big-screen adaptation of the classic novel by Jules Verne, 80 Days begins shooting this month in Thailand and Berlin, with Frank Coraci (The Wedding Singer) at the helm. Hal Lieberman and Bill Badalato are producing.
De France will play Monique de Grave, a young French artist who decides that a trip around the world would be a perfect cure for her lost inspiration. Knoxville plays an eccentric hobo met during the highflying adventures of de Grave, Phileas Fogg (Coogan) and Passepartout (Chan).
The star of Jackass: The Movie, Knoxville has been cast in a spate of starring roles lately for such projects as writer-director Tom Bezucha's Hating Her and Grand Theft Parsons, with Christina Applegate and Marley Shelton.
De France recently won a French Cesar as most promising actress for her role in writer-helmer Cedric Klapisch's Euro-student comedy L'Auberge Espagnole.
Knoxville is represented by CAA and the Firm. De France is repped by Artmedia.
Overseeing the project for Walden, which is headed by Cary Granat, are senior vp production Alex Schwartz and director of development Kisha Cameron.
