Domenic Cooper- Actor of the Week

Domenic Cooper

Domenic Cooper is a hot commodity right now and seems to pop up everywhere these days. I think a lot of people would recognize him as the love interest of Amanda Seyfried in Mama Mia.

Domenic Cooper and Amanda Seyfried in Mama Mia

Good choice for the smouldering, mostly shirtless fiancee in Mama Mia. He has that slightly exotic bad boy look to him and of course that gorgeous accent, having been brought up on the outskirts of London in Greenwich.

Domenic Cooper as Charles Grey in The Duchess

I think his best role so far is as Charles Grey in The Duchess opposite Kiera Knightley. He was very intense and sexy in this part and the chemistry between his Charles Grey and Kiera's Georgiana was electric. I'll admit it, I cried during this film. Quite shamelessly I might add.

Domenic Cooper and Charity Wakefield in Sense and Sensibility

OK, I know I am going to get some flak on this but I just couldn't quite get into Domenic as Willoughby in the 2008 miniseries Sense and Sensibility. I adore Andrew Davies and I do think this entire production is really good. I guess Emma Thompson has just ruined me for other versions. To be fair, I should watch this one again as it is quite lovely. I just didn't love Domenic as much as Charity Wakefield's Marianne did. Mind you Willoughby is one of my least favourite Jane Austen male characters so maybe it has more to do with that.

Domenic Cooper in Tamara Drewe

If you haven't seen Tamara Drewe, it is quite a great flick. A little bit dark for a comedy but highly entertaining in an oh so British kind of way. Lovely little village for the location too, which never hurts. And Domenic is hilarious as a dopey rock star bad boy. I mean look at that face. It just mirrors the dog's face!

Rosamund Pike and Domenic Cooper in An Education

As affluent wheeler dealer Danny in An Education, Domenic plays a very different kind of bad boy. This film was riveting on many levels. I could certainly watch it again as all of the performances were remarkable and I loved the script by Nick Hornby about a girl trying to choose the course of her life.

Domenic Cooper in My Week With Marilyn

I haven't seen My Week With Marilyn yet so I can't comment on Domenic's role as Marilyn Monroe's photographer and business partner Milton H. Greene. Actually, I almost watched this last night but instead watched The Muppets, which made me very happy. Can anyone else tell me how they liked My Week With Marilyn?

So watch out for lots more Domenic Cooper in the future. He has 8 upcoming films listed on IMDb, including Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. So look out!

West Wycombe Park, Buckinghamshire, England- Filming Location

West Wycombe Park, Buckinghamshire, England

The Importance of Being Earnest 2002 uses the lovely National Trust Property West Wycombe Park almost as another character in the story. As the country seat of Jack Worthing (Colin Firth) this drop dead gorgeous property is showcased both inside and out. Someday, I will get there and see it in person. (By the way, please visit Lacey Green Walks to see more gorgeous photos of the estate).

Colin Firth and Rupert Everett at a door of West Wycombe Park

The weathered yellow of the exterior of the house is very distinctive. You may recognize it in other productions (see below) because of it's colour.

Frances O'Connor and Reese Witherspoon on the stairs of West Wycombe

Thankfully as the story progresses, we get to see lots of amazing views of the interior as well as the exterior of West Wycombe.

Rupert Everett, Judi Dench and Reese Witherspoon in front of the ornate fireplace of West Wycombe

The yellow of the exterior is brought into some of the interior rooms to wonderful effect.

Some more views of the grounds which I have shamelessly borrowed from the Lacey Green Walks website.

The Music Temple, situated on one of the islands on the SWAN-SHAPED LAKE at West Wycombe

You can see why this estate is popular for weddings as well as for filming locations.  It is open to the public from early April until the middle of August from Sunday to Thursday (April is grounds only). The weekends are reserved for weddings or private functions and the Dashwood family live in the house, as they have done since the 18th century.

The distinctive double colonnade of the south side of West Wycombe

Dashwood...I know. Do you think that Jane Austen used this home as inspiration for the Dashwood estate Norland Park in Sense and Sensibility? The property was given to the National Trust in 1943 by the Sir John Dashwood, 10th Baronet (an action apparently strongly resented by his heir). The family retained ownership of the contents of the house and they still reside in the house.

Other films or miniseries using West Wycombe for a filming location:

W.E. 2011
The Duchess 2008
What a Girl Wants 2003
Cranford 2007
An Ideal Husband 1999
I Capture the Castle 2003
Daniel Deronda 2002
Another Country 1984

He Knew He Was Right 2004

Carrington 1995
Austenland 2012

Downton Abbey 2010

Funny that Colin Firth and Rupert Everett were in both Another Country and The Importance of Being Earnest. Everything comes full circle I suppose!

And is anyone else excited about seeing JJ Feild, Keri Russell, Jennifer Coolidge and Bret McKenzie in Austenland later this year?

The Duchess 2008 with Kiera Knightley

The Duchess 2008

The Duchess is one film I am glad to own. Having read the book about the remarkable Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire I really enjoyed the silver screen version of her life. The costumes and locations alone would make this worth watching, but the tragic story of the vivacious teenager married off to a cold fish 10 years older is enthralling. It was marketed as a similar story to Princess Diana, who was her great-great-great-great niece and I must say, the Spencer family have some pretty amazing women. Georgiana was also the great-great-great-great-grandmother of Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York via her illegitimate love child, Eliza Courtney. What a story, huh? You can't write this stuff!

Kiera Knightley and Ralph Fiennes as the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire

I like both Kiera Knightley and Ralph Fiennes but I wouldn't call myself a fan of either one. However, they both do an amazing job here as the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. If there was ever an illustration of the saying "money can't buy happiness" this story would be it! I think the servants looked happier than this pair.

Domenic Cooper as Charles Grey (The future Earl Grey as in Earl Grey tea!)

The chemistry between Kiera Knightley and Domenic Cooper as politician Charles Grey is electric. So is the chemistry between Kiera Knightley and Hayley Atwell as Bess Foster for that matter! This is certainly a different tale than Pride and Prejudice, which was the other film Kiera Knightley did at Chatsworth in Derbyshire England. Real life doesn't have the happy ending that novels do however.

The famous fox outfit based on historical records from the Charles Fox Whig campaign

The costumes are breathtaking. Georgiana was the Princess Di or Kate Middleton of her day. All eyes were on her for style and she may reasonably be called the first "celebrity", followed by media wherever she went. There is a great scene where the "paparazzi" of the day are furiously sketching her outfit before she disappeared into a social event.
 

Charlotte Rampling as Georgaina's mother Lady Spencer

Charlotte Rampling is luminous as Lady Spencer, Georgiana's slightly scary mother. Not warm and fuzzy but very believable.

Hayley Atwell as Elizabeth Foster or Bess, the third person in the marriage

Hayley Atwell gives a wonderful performance as Lady Elizabeth Foster, the third person in the marriage. Starting out as Georgiana's friend, she ends up right in the middle of the marriage! Highly unusual, even for the times methinks.

The Duchess and Charlotte, the Duke's illegitimate daughter on the grounds of Chatsworth

Georgiana, The Duchess of Devonshire: There are limits to the sacrifices one makes for one's children.
Bess Foster: No, there aren't. No limits whatsoever.

"When she arrives, all eyes are upon her. When absent, she is the subject of universal conversation. And what we see her wearing tonight, I look forward to seeing the rest of you wearing tomorrow!" 

Georgiana Cavendish, The Duchess of Devonshire

If there is a fault to be found with this film, it would be that it romanticizes the Duchess and her faults. Her gambling is glossed over, whereas in real life it dominated her entire life. Her friends would avoid her so as not to be asked for money to pay her debts. And yet, of course, we want the romanticized version on screen, don't we? But she was an amazing woman...more amazing than can ever be shown in 110 minutes.

Having just re-watched this last night, I can wholeheartedly recommend this for an evening's entertainment. Especially if you don't mind a good cry at the end.