One For The Money

by Susan Sey

Heads up, Evanovich fans--the movies are coming.

I just read (on one of the scurrilous celebrity gossip sites you guys know I'm so fond of) that Katherine Heigl has been tapped to play Stephanie Plum in the movie adaptation of One For the Money.

This causes me sincere & serious distress.

Katherine Heigl is just so...LA. Nothing against her, of course, but she's so impossibly pretty and fresh and...blond. Just really, really blond. Maybe I haven't been reading closely (it's possible--I tend to skim for dialogue when I'm really into a story) but I'm pretty sure Stephanie's not a blonde. Plus, Stephanie is so quintessentially Jersey, you know? Big hair, plenty of mascara, ass-kicking boots and a bone-deep knowledge of her neighborhood.

Katherine Heigel in the Berg? I can't see it. And I can't imagine anybody who'd actually read the books greenlighting that casting decision.

Then I heard who she replaced:

Reese Witherspoon.

A southern blond. A teeny southern blond. With a pointy (though admittedly adorable) little face. Who the hell is making these decisions?

I went to Janet Evanovich's website to see if there was any outrage on this score, & it isn't even mentioned. So I cruised over to the FAQs, & Janet did admit to thinking Sandra Bullock would be a great Stephanie Plum. I thought so too. I thought Julia Roberts might do, as well. But unfortunately, both of them are, what, 45 years old by now? And Stephanie is about thirty?

We need some outside the box thinking here, people. Who would you rather see play Stephanie Plum? (I'll leave the Ranger/Morelli casting for another post, because that's a topic that absolutely requires devotion and thought.)

Me? I'd kinda like to see Ann Hathaway do it. She's very East Coast, and while not traditionally beautiful, plenty hot enough to catch the attention of guys like Morelli and Ranger. Plus I could totally see her blowing up a car or two.

How about you? Thoughts on this very important topic?