Minghella actors enjoy career explosions

NEWTON, N.J., Dec. 26 (UPI) -- Filmmaker Anthony Minghella is the first to admit he has a knack for casting actors just before their careers skyrocket.

"Both with 'The Talented Mr. Ripley' and with 'Cold Mountain' I cast (actors) and then subsequently those actors have had enormous success between my beginning to work with them and the film's coming out," Minghella told United Press International's Karen Butler in a recent phone interview.

"With 'The Talented Mr. Ripley,' Matt Damon's film 'Good Will Hunting' came out and then Gwyneth Paltrow had great success with 'Shakespeare in Love' and Cate Blanchett had 'Elizabeth,' and all of that happened in the intervening time between casting them and the film coming out."

Ditto "Cold Mountain," he said.

"Nicole (Kidman) and Renee (Zellweger) had this huge triumph with 'The Hours' and 'Chicago' respectively, so I've been lucky in that regard to find actors who were just approaching the top of their game and I'm so delighted with the two women in this film, but I'm also thrilled, thrilled, thrilled to have cast Jude (Law) because I think that he's going to astonish people with his performance. He is magnificent in the film."

"Cold Mountain" earned eight Golden Globe nominations last week.