U.S. actresses to play Bronte sisters

CANNES, France, May 19 (UPI) -- A move by a British director to cast U.S. actresses in his biopic film about Charlotte, Emily and Anne Bronte has come under fire in Cannes, France.

Critics at the annual Cannes Film Festival called the decision to cast Michelle Williams, Bryce Dallas Howard and Evan Rachel Wood as the British sisters "bizarre" and "a pity," The Telegraph reported Saturday.

They said they were worried about how well the American actresses will be able to recreate the sisters' Yorkshire accents.

But, British filmmaker Charles Sturridge, who is best known for his television adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's "Brideshead Revisited" said he has faith in the three actresses.

Williams was praised for her British accent in "Me Without You," opposite Anna Friel in 2001, the newspaper noted.

She will play Charlotte, the author of "Jane Eyre," Howard will play Emily, who is most famous for "Wuthering Heights," Wood has been cast as the youngest sister, Anne.