Clive Owen to play Sir Walter Raleigh

Clive Owen to join Cate Blanchett for sequel to 'Elizabeth'

Jun 23 2005

Still flying high after enjoying critical acclaim for his performance in 'Closer', Clive Owen looks set to assume the mantle of Sir Walter Raleigh in the sequel to 'Elizabeth'.

Owen will star opposite Cate Blanchett, who reprises her part as the Virgin Queen, a role that landed the Australian Best Actress BAFTA honours in 1998 and an Oscar nomination.

The £20 million sequel, 'Elizabeth: The Golden Age' – which is to be directed by Shekhar Kapur who also helmed 'Elizabeth' – will explore the relationship between adventurer/courtier Sir Walter and Queen Elizabeth I, a relationship that is understood to have been rather tempestuous.

No doubt history will be sexed-up for big-screen consumption, but the promise of seeing the Spanish Armada defeated and Mary Queen of Scots beheaded should prove enough to intrigue cinema-goers.

It adds up to a remarkable comeback for Owen, who seemed like an actor on the ropes after the disastrous 'King Arthur' but has since picked himself up with standout performances in both 'Closer' and most recently 'Sin City'.

For Blanchett, on the other hand, returning to the role that rocket-launched her career marks just another step towards Hollywood immortality, having picked up Best Supporting Actress Oscar playing Katherine Hepburn in 'The Aviator' earlier this year.

Should the actress manage to go one step further and win the Oscar for Best Actress second time round, well, that surely would be something to remember.

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