Kalistan

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Kate Milan tapped to play Empress Nicolette
Republican Pictures new biopic to be titled "The Great"
Sualri, Duchy of Suldanor
April 6, 5708


Empress Nicolette I Ananto to be portrayed by comedian Kate Milan (left) in new biographical film

House Ananto has approved the script for a new Republican Pictures biographical dramatization of the life of Empress Nicolette I Ananto.  The film is titled "The Great" and is closely based on the biography of the same name about the Empress by noted Nationalist author Nina Rogers, that spent much of last year at Number 1 on Bestseller lists in Kalistan and abroad.  Rogers joined the production as an assistant director and histoical consultant, and House Ananto's Lady Christina Ananto-McKinley said Her Imperial Majesty, Empress Carolina II Ananto had the opportunity to read the biography and is reportedly "glad that someone will make a movie about Nicolette Ananto."

"House Ananto was very cooperative with our requests to make this motion picture," said Rogers.  "The story isn't all complimentary hagiography:  it runs up against the prevailing narrative of Nicolette as an enlightened lover of her nation, and represents a more ruthless and extremely politically savvy operator, a pure political animal, in many ways not sympathetic at all, but often quite cynical in her approach to politics.  Much of the story is about a woman who grew up into privilege and was very intolerant of different viewpoints, and how that sort of cold, instrumentalist view of power served as the origin story for Kalistani Imperial Autocracy.  Nicolette was as beautiful as she was terrible, and her influence still governs Kalistan today through her descendants and her attitudes, often very imperious and dismissive of the opinions of her own citizens, that still dictate the relationship between sovereign and subject.  But she is also an amazing example of Kalistani excellence which has not been duplicated, anywhere in Kalistani History, and certainly not anywhere in Terra."

Rogers said the only revision House Ananto suggested to the script was to exclude parts in the script that depicted the former Empress as promiscuous, including one scene which depicted her at an orgy where she used significant amounts of cocaine and slept nude with several men and women in a pile of gold coins and gemstones.  "There are a number of secret histories that discussed the early adulthood of the woman who became Nicolette the Great," said Rogers.  "These were included in the book to demonstrate that the Empress had been essentially a libertine and a wild young woman who, when tasked with authority, left her previous debaucherous life behind, and became very serious and focused on her task.  These histories have been subsequently verified by numerous printed first hand accounts."

But House Ananto reportedly felt that portraying the Empress like this was unnecessary to telling the story in the script.  "Lady Ananto-McKinley said that Her Imperial Majesty did not feel like the sex or the nudity advanced the story at all, and asked that the movie focus on the political and historical aspects of the Empress' life."  Rogers said it was not an issue to omit those scenes without damaging the integrity of the film.  Also omitted, though not by Royal Request, was rumors of the Empress' affair with Lady Diane Smith, who was later promoted to Foreign Minister, before she was married.  "Those rumors were reported as rumors," said Roger, "and the Director felt they were a distraction to what else is going on in the script so we didn't even address them here."

"Everything in this movie is true, in that it actually happened," said Rogers.  "The script itself contains actual dialogue from back in the day, though some of the dialogue was embellished for dramatic effect, and at least two characters are composite characters of several of the people the Empress dealt with on a semi regular basis.  But yes, this is indeed a true story.  Even the parts that make the Empress look a bit less like the national story depicts her as."

To play Nicolette The Great, the production hired veteran comedic actress Kate Milan, who currently hosts a the popular weekly stand-up comedy contest "They Who Laugh Last" on KRTVN and has done almost exclusively comedic roles throughout her entire 17 year long career.  "I mean, I sort of look like her," said Milan in an interview.  "We're both blondes, I guess."  Milan said she read for the part because she lost a bet with her brother.  "Well the bet involved drinking a bottle of cayenne pepper sauce.  It was a contest more than a bet, but anyway I lost, and my good dear sweet brother Mike made me have my agent apply me for the part. Playing scary b—ches is something I’ve done often. But I always do it for laughs: there’s really nothing funny about this movie except Nicolette’s sharp wit, so it will definitely be a challenge for me to play such a serious role." 

Milan read the script and thought, "This woman is a completely cynical monster.  She seems like she would like torturing people.  But she did it with such, like, I don't even know, such this high class etiquette that people who dealt with her weren't aware that she had slit their throats until 15 minutes after they were already dead.  She was such a snooty, self-possessed person--An icy cold dictator masquerading as this beautiful, sophisticated, ultra-aristocratic socialite, she and her Chancellor more or less overthrew the Republic by themselves.  And she didn't even bat an eyelash or break a sweat.  She was so loved for it.  I instantly fell in love with her.  I get it.  I totally get it."

Rogers said that when Milan read for the casting director, everyone in the room knew that the comedian would bring a sociopath's energy to the serious and very un-comedic role.  "No, this portrait of Nicolette is not often flattering.  Nicolette was born believing that the world rightfully belonged to her.  And her self-justified arrogance knew no bounds, to the point where she would say things that were so over the top that they were a mix between hilarious and just absolutely terrifying.  And she did it with a perfect smile, perfect hair, perfect body, and unmatched devastating wit that caused the entire nation to fall in love with her and earned her the nickname 'The Great' by succeeding generations.  Kate has a lot of natural poise, and she knows how to deliver a bone chilling remark with the timing of a comedian, and hearing her deliver the lines just cut us all to the bone.  The whole casting team were so uncomfortable by a test script they had heard others read twenty or thirty times already, and they were torn between utter terror and just wanting to fall over laughing.  We knew we had our Empress when Kate read for us."

Additional casting is ongoing.  Rumored to play the Prince Consort is Sulari's Mick Douglass.  "The Prince Consort Victor Martin was a bit of a playboy, who cheated on the Empress with numerous women during their marriage.  But The Empress was his one weakness, and the two were actually great friends and it is wrong to say their marriage was loveless.  They both had deep affection for one another, and even after the Empress knew about the Prince Consort's infidelities, because how could she possibly not know, they stayed together because they were perfectly compatible and partners in most aspects of life. Mick and Kate have that kind of energy together, a mutual respect that has everything to do with personality and almost nothing to do with romance."  It is reported that newcomer Brittney Sutton will play a young Nicolette II Ananto, and other principle characters are still in casting.

"We are expecting to be done shooting this movie in early 5709," said Rogers, "and then are looking for a summer or fall 5709 release." Rogers says the film has a budget or more than ₭6 million Imperials and shooting will be done in Kaliburg and Sulari primarily with some locations through Ananto and Suldanor planned.

@LaModa