Naomi Watts Joins Audrey Diwan’s Erotic Drama ‘Emmanuelle’

Two-time Oscar nominee Naomi Watts has joined the cast of “Emmanuelle,” Audrey Diwan’s highly anticipated erotic drama, Variety has confirmed.

Diwan’s follow-up to the Venice-prizewinning “Happening,” the film is inspired by Emmanuelle Arsan’s novel and is based on a script co-developed by Diwan and Rebecca Zlotowski (“Other People’s Children”). The book centers on a woman and the series of erotic fantasies that she entertains. It was previously made into a 1974 film of the same name, directed by Just Jaeckin and starring Sylvia Kristel, which became a cult hit.

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Watts revealed the news when she posted a now-deleted Instagram Story with “Emmanuelle” co-star Noemie Merlant, a critically acclaimed French actor who broke through in Céline Sciamma’s “Portrait of a Lady on Fire” and made her English-speaking debut in Todd Field’s Oscar-nominated film “Tar.” Merlant plays the titular role in “Emmanuelle.” The rest of the cast comprises of Will Sharpe (“The White Lotus”), Jamie Campbell Bower (“Stranger Things”), Chacha Huang (“Money Heist”) and Anthony Wong (“Infernal Affairs”).

Diwan is best known for “Happening,” her sophomore outing which received critical raves and won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival. “Happening” tells the story of a woman obtaining an illegal abortion in the 1960s. After its Venice premiere, the film went on to win the César Award for best female newcomer for star Anamaria Vartolomei and earned nominations at BAFTAs and at DGA Awards, among others.

“Emmanuelle” is produced by Chantelouve, Rectangle Productions and Goodfellas. Deadline was first to report the film’s casting news.

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