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Gael Garcia Bernal & Benicio del Toro Now Up for 'Pancho Villa' Film

by Ethan Anderton
February 22, 2011
Source: Blic Online

At the end of 2009, we heard that Johnny Depp might be re-teaming with his Arizona Dream director Emir Kusturica for the long-titled film Seven Friends of Pancho Villa and the Woman With Six Fingers. an adaptation of James Carlos Blake's novel The Friends of Pancho Villa. However Blic Online (via Bleeding Cool) reports that Depp is no longer involved with the project, and Gael Garcia Bernal (The Motorcycle Diaries) and Benicio del Toro (The Wolfman) are the frontrunners to play the titular revolutionary. The director will apparently meet with both actors in Cuba very soon and make his decision after that. Read on!

The story will focus on how Villa, an early 20th-century bandit who became a guerilla fighter and a hero to the poor, and his ragtag team of bandits had a great time fighting and robbing the rich, but also dancing, partying and making love. The role will require whoever lands the part to speak in Spanish for the entire film. In addition, whoever snags the lead role will be starring opposite Selma Hayek, though it's not clear what role the actress has in the film (if I had to guess, she's probably the titular woman with six fingers).

Bernal seems to be confident that he'll snag the role, but he doesn't mouth off in a competitive way. The actor said, "I will probably land the leading role because of physical resemblance with Pancho Villa.” Fortunately he also has the acting talent to back up his physical traits. In addition, Bernal is also completely confident in Kusturica's ability to bring this story to life. He says, "I believe Emir is the only director who can do the Pancho Villa story. Even better than any Mexican director. You know why? Because he is a kind of Pancho Villa in his own right." Honestly, whether del Toro or Bernal gets the part, we're in for a hell of a performance. What do you think?

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