Once the cameras start rolling, we’ll know that Wuthering Heights won’t wobble again.

Recent Bond girl — and Royal Academy of Dramatic Art-trained actress — Gemma Arterton will star with Gossip Girl hunk Ed Westwick in the story of the complicated love between Cathy and Heathcliff.

Director Peter Webber hopes to begin filming Emily Bronte’s tale by the autumn.

Various actresses connected to the film have ‘mutually agreed’ to withdraw for one reason or another, among them Natalie Portman, Sienna Miller and Abbie Cornish.

The very hot Michael Fassbender was ‘attatched’ to play Heathcliff at one point, but since Hunger captivated Cannes last year, the actor hasn’t had a day to himself.

He’s in two films at the festival this year — Fish Tank and Inglourious Basterds — and has many other movies lined up.

Anyway, Westwick, who plays Chuck, the poor little rich boy in U.S. teen drama Gossip Girl, wooed Webber and producer Robert Bernstein to play Heathcliff.

‘We’ve cast it as written,’ said Bernstein, whose production company Ecosse Films has been developing the film for nearly three years. Gemma has just turned 23, while Ed is 21.

‘Heathcliff’s a teen, and the story takes him into his early 20s. Cathy is just as young,’ Bernstein said.

‘It’s radical because usually actors playing these characters are much older.’

‘We’re very proud to have British actors,’ Bernstein added, a reference to a point I made last year that homegrown actors were perfectly capable and that there was little point casting the likes of Natalie Portman just to attract investors.

GALLERY LINK:
– Wuthering Heights (2010) > Related Clippings: Daily Mail (UK) – May 15, 2009