Cara Delevingne's New Role Is Disappointing

Okay, I know you were all really hoping that Cara Delevingne would have some epic role in the upcoming Peter Pan movie after we first learned she had been added to the cast, but unfortunately Joe Wright has crushed your dreams. Unfortunately, rumor has it that Delevingne is taking on the role of a mermaid alongside her co-stars Rooney Mara, Hugh Jackman, Amanda Seyfried, Garrett Hedlund and Levi Miller among others.

If you’ve ever watched the 1953 Disney version of Peter Pan, aka the Peter Pan movie, then you’d know that the mermaids just sit on rocks all day grooming themselves and acting like divas. Although I’m not quite sure what other role Delevingne could have played considering all the major characters had been cast already anyway, I’m still pretty bummed that she was not given something with a little more depth.

Delevingne is a world famous model after all, and I can already see the unsurprised looks on everyone’s face because… why wouldn’t a model just sit on a rock admiring her tail and look pretty with her big eyebrows and long flowing hair? Unfortunately I even thought the same thing initially, but after much reflection, I question why this is the immediate thought process of many people like myself. Delevingne is not just a pretty face as she has already proven with her growing IMDb credits and she shouldn’t be treated as such.

Take Rosie Huntington-Whiteley for instance, who was cast as Carly in Transformers: Dark of the Moon, to replace Sam Witwicky’s former love interest Mikaela, who was played by Megan Fox. I’m sure most of us thought, “Oh great, another freakishly gorgeous woman to spend most of her scenes sitting on a motorcycle half naked.” I have to admit I was a bit disappointed that the movie immediately started with a view of Huntington- Whiteley’s butt (unlike many many men), yet I was pleasantly surprised by her overall performance. Considering it was her first acting gig, Huntington-Whiteley added a lot more depth to her supporting role compared to Fox and played a classy, well-established working woman. Thankfully.

Similarly, well known actresses like Elizabeth Hurley, Mischa Barton, Cameron Diaz, Andie MacDowell, Moll Sims and Brooke Shields all began their careers to stardom with modeling. Now, even the beautiful Kate Upton finally had a leading role in her most recent film, The Other Woman. Now, I’m not saying that all of these models turned actresses are ready for the Oscars or have generally produced good movies (because some of them really haven’t), but it’s worthy to note that these women have been able to score roles that don’t include credits like “Hot Girl 1.” They’ve all had the opportunity to prove that they’re more than just women who can strut their stuff down a runway or pose for a spread in a magazine.

So I sincerely hope that Wright makes the creative decision to provide Delevingne with more flexibility in her role as a mermaid. The movie, which is slated for 2015, already has some promising changes like the addition of Blackbeard and Mara playing Tiger Lily. I know not everyone is satisfied with the last decision, considering Mara isn’t even Native American, but it’s intriguing that, in general, they’ve cast an adult to play this character though it’s implied that Tiger Lily is the same age as Peter Pan in the original film.

Maybe Delevingne’s mermaid character will actually be dark and brooding like those in Pirates of the Caribbean and Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. Even the mermaids in the 2003 Peter Pan film starring Jeremy Sumpter as Pan were scary enough that I wouldn’t dare get in the water with them. All I really ask is that Delevingne is given the acting role she deserves.

Images: weheartit