Cecelia: My new f ilm will not be made in Ireland
CECELIA Ahern has revealed she has lost out on her attempt to have the big- screen adaptation of her latest novel filmed in Ireland.
The Dublin author’s 13th book and first young adult novel, Flawed, which is out in two weeks, will get the Hollywood treatment after it was optioned by Wendy Finerman Productions and Warner Brothers.
Wendy Finerman, 55 – whose credits include Forrest Gump and The Devil Wears Prada – previously produced the adaptation of Ms Ahern’s first book, PS I Love You, which starred Hilary Swank.
A deal is also in place with the same production team to adapt the sequel to Flawed – a book that will be released next year, and is entitled Perfect – for the big screen.
But the 34-year-old daughter of former taoiseach Bertie Ahern admitted she’s given up on her hopes that Ireland will be used as the main location for the upcoming movies.
The mother of two said: ‘I don’t know if this one will be filmed in Ireland.
‘It’s a big Hollywood thing. I do try to get my books filmed in Ireland. I think it’s important. I love to have as much as possible filmed here, but it’s not really an Irish story. It’s a universal story.’
However, Ms Ahern stressed that she has every confidence that the production team will do justice to her book – and said she has already got a young Hollywood actress in mind to play the lead role in the movie, although she didn’t reveal who it is.
In an interview on TV3’s The Seven O’Clock Show, she said: ‘I’m working with the same team as PS I Love You, which was fantastic.
‘We’ve known each other for over ten years, so we’ve got a really good relationship.
‘The script has already been written and they’ve optioned Flawed and the sequel, Perfect, which is coming out next year.
‘They’re writing it now and it’s moving really, really fast.’
She added: ‘If they keep the heart of the story and all the main components of the story, then I’m really okay with it.
‘I really like it when someone has their own interpretation of my story.’
Ms Ahern previously revealed that she is no longer happy to l augh off suggestions that her father played a role in her success as a writer.
While s he was i niti al l y amused by claims that the former taoiseach had helped her get a publishing deal, she said she doesn’t see the funny side anymore.
Ms Ahern explained: ‘I had to bite my lip and be as calm and polite as possible.
‘It wasn’t just hinted at, I was asked, “Did your dad get you this deal?” It was also hinted at in articles that were written,’ she said.
‘As if my dad was going to ring up Warner Brothers, “Hello, it’s the taoiseach here from Ireland, could you make my daughter’s book into a movie?”
‘It was just so ridiculous,’ she continued. ‘ At the time it didn’t bother me because I knew it was ridiculous.
‘ I think now as an older, grumpier woman, if people were to be saying that to me, I wouldn’t be as calm as I was then,’ she warned.
She has a young actress in mind