Lesbian love stories are all the rage right now in historical dramas like Colette, Lizzie and most notably The Favourite. So why stop with just those three? A new film about the life of British paleontologist Mary Anning is set to star Kate Winslet as the 1800s paleontologist who made a huge mark in her field...and Saoirse Ronan is set to play her wealthy Londonite lover.
Francis Lee is set to direct this period piece titled Ammonite and if that name is not familiar to you, then we have good news for you: Francis Lee is not shy about sex scenes. He previously directed God's Own Country which is basically Britain's Call Me By Your Name, so we have a really good feeling about the nudity and sex scenes that we'll get in Ammonite.
Will Ammonite be our first actual look at Saoirse's breasts? We certainly hope so!
There is some backlash to the movie, however. The real family of Mary Anning says this lesbian affair is totally unfounded and not necessary. Saoirse's character never actually existed and is being completely imagined for the movie. One of Mary's real relatives, Barbara Anning, has an open mind about her relative's sexuality but still doesn't think this is necessary. She added in The Telegraph that "I believe if Mary Anning was gay she should be portrayed as gay and this should also be by a gay actress. But I do not believe there is any evidence to back up portraying her as a gay woman." Is that relevant? Do any history buffs have an issue with this interpretation of famously independent Mary Anning?
And another question: should Kate and Saoirse be replaced with actual lesbian actresses? Who should play those roles? Let us know what you think in the comments.
