With Jude Law onboard as Alfie, the project began to attract actresses as versatile and talented as Academy Award® winners Marisa Tomei (“My Cousin Vinny.” “In the Bedroom”) and Susan Sarandon (“Dead Man Walking,” “Bull Durham”), as well as Nia Long (“Boyz N the Hood,” “Third Watch”) and Tony Award winner and Golden Globe nominee Jane Krakowski (“Nine,” “Ally McBeal”). Add one of England’s hottest young actresses, Sienna Miller. and the lineup of world-class leading ladies is complete.
As diverse as the actresses who portray them, the women in Alfie’s life are best described by the character himself:
JULIE (Marisa Tomei) is a single mother, whom Alfie visits when he needs a bit of comfort and home cooking. As Alfie says, She ‘s my semi-permanent-quasi-sort-of-girlfriend.
According to Tomei, Julie is a survivor. She loves Alfie, but she’s starting to not like him very much. “I just love portraying this kind of character who grows stronger right before our eyes,” says Tomei. “I think a lot of women will relate to Julie. She’s looking for a guy who can commit, but she kind of likes the roguish boyish charm.. .until it starts to get old.”
LIZ (Susan Sarandon) is as sexy as she is successful, and one of the women in Alfie’s life who just might just be able to keep up with him in both the libido and the charm department. As Alfie declares: She‘s someone who could mother you and rock your world. Fifty if she‘s a day - beautifully preserved and cleavage like the Holland Tunnel.
“I love the way my character is described in the script: ‘A voluptuous (some would say over-ripe, all would say sexy) woman decked out in Chanel.’ I mean, who wouldn’t want to play a vixen like that!” laughs Sarandon. “Actually, beyond the physical description, I like how tough this broad is. She finally dishes out to Alfie what he’s been dishing out to women for years.”
LONETTE (Nia Long) is one woman in Alfie’s life whom he has always considered out of his league. She’s also off-limits since his best friend, Marlon, portrayed by Omar Epps, wants to marry her. Still. Alfie can’t help notice how Lonette is ... gorgeous, smart, funny, can balance a dozen drinks on a tray and still move like poetry.
“No one sees through Alfie more than Lonette does, yet even she succumbs to his charms,” observes Long. “I was very excited to read her storyline in the script because it follows a very different curve than the other women. In fact, I think what happens between her and Alfie really opens his eyes a little... actually a lot.”
DORIE (Jane Krakowski) is a frustrated housewife who’s content with her “weekly Alfie fix.” According to Dorie, her old man hasn’t touched her in six months, which in Alfie’s mind is an invitation to help the guy out by picking up the slack for him. To Dorie's face, Alfie says, “You deserve to be appreciated.” To the camera, he adds a caveat: While she’s in her prime.
“What’s interesting about Alfie is he’s completely honest and up-front on one level, but oblivious to how he hurts people on another,” observes Krakowski. “In Dorie's case, she always has her eyes wide open ... except for maybe a moment or two when she fantasizes that her relationship with Alfie is more than it is. But doesn’t everybody do that during a relationship at one time or another?”
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