BOSTON, September. 3, 2105 — (UPI) — Actress Sienna Miller‘s role in the upcoming crime-dramaBlack Mass has been cut, director Scott Cooper confirmed Wednesday.
Cooper admitted to the Boston Globe that the cut “came down to narrative choices.”
Miller was cast as Catherine Greig, a girlfriend of lead Johnny Deep’s character, notorious Boston crime lord Whitey Bulger. Based on the Dick Lehr and Gerard O’ Neil book of the same name, Black Mass focuses on Bulger’s rise to power in the 1970s as the criminal’s Winter Hill gang built an empire in Boston, Mass., before he became an FBI informant for 30 years.
Cooper explained that he decided to focus on Bulger’s life before he left Boston as his years spent as a fugitive with Greig were ‘”less dramatic.”
Miller was excited for the role, and spoke to Boston.com about her preparation to play Greig. “She was quite a character from South Boston. The accent was something I really focused on because playing someone from Southie, you don’t want to mess that up,” she said. “Hopefully I’ve managed to pull that off, although I think everyone’s like, ‘How can you be English and think you can do that?'”
The actress also admitted that her role was smaller compared to the rest of the cast.”I shot for two weeks, it’s a really cameo,” she said. “It’s not a leading role. I had an amazing time working with Johnny Depp, who I think is extraordinary and Scott Cooper, the director, who’s made some amazing films as well. The story’s in the right hands and it was amazingly fun to come in.”
The film also stars Joel Edgerton as FBI agent John Connolly, with Benedict Cumberbatch as Bulger’s brother, Mass. senator William “Billy” Bulger, and Dakota Johnson as Bulger’s girlfriend, Lindsey Cyr.Kevin Bacon, Jesse Plemons, Peter Sarsgaard and Corey Stoll also have roles.
Black Mass will open in theaters Sept. 18.
