I thought Maggie Chang was going to play Mameha, but I guess they made some changes.
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http://www.zap2it.com/movies/news/story/0,1259,---22631,00.htmlLOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon" star Zhang Ziyi will turn her eyes from China to Japan.
The 25-year-old Chinese actress is in final talks to take the titular role in the long-gestating film adaptation of the Arthur Golden novel, "Memoirs of a Geisha," according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The story centers on Sayuri (Zhang), an impoverished girl who is sold into slavery and must go through intense training, sacrifice and backstabbing to become one of the charming and accomplished entertainers known as geisha. Gong Li plays her rival, Hatsumomo, while Michelle Yeoh portrays the mentor
Mameha.
"The Last Samurai" actor Ken Watanabe will play the businessman who captures Sayuri's heart. Youki Kudoh and Koji Yakusho round out the cast.
The film reunites Zhang with Yeoh, who both starred and fought in "Crouching Tiger," which won the Oscar for best foreign language film in 2001.
"Chicago" director Rob Marshall will begin production in September in Los Angeles and Japan. Steven Spielberg will produce.
Zhang has also starred in the action-comedy "Rush Hour 2" and currently appears in the limited-release film "Hero," opposite Jet Li.
