STRANGE WAY OF LIFE: Pedro Almodovar Has Cast His Upcoming Short Western

Pedro Almodovar’s Short Half Hour Western Has Its Stars

Acclaimed Spanish movie director Pedro Almodovar has added two big stars, Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal, to his upcoming thirty-minute long Western, Strange Way of Life.

Pedro Almodovar is one of the most constantly fascinating directors of all-time. He recently directed Penelope Cruz to an Oscar nod for her work in the critically praised Parallel Mothers. Now, the filmmaker is turning his attention to a more male heavy project titled Strange Way of Life. It is going to be a short Western which will star Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal in a story reminiscent of Ang Lee’s Oscar-winning (for Best Director), Brokeback Mountain.

It was recently reported that Almodovar was making an English language feature (his first) titled A Manual for Cleaning Women but this forthcoming short will be filmed before that picture. This movie Western will be an English language picture as well. It will follow the story of two men, one of whom is a Sheriff.  Almodovar has revealed some aspects of the plot but, as with all of the fine filmmaker’s work, it’s best to go in knowing very little and keeping an open mind. Almodovar tends to surprise with the risky nature of his work which is always very unique.

This short Western’s title has a significance. It is a title that shadows a song where the lyrics suggest that the pursuit of one’s desires being ignored could lead to a strange existence. Set to shoot in the desert of Tabernas in southern Spain, Strange Way of Life will star two heavy hitters: Ethan Hawke and Pedro Pascal.

Ethan Hawke is coming off the box-office success of the critically hailed horror movie, The Black Phone, while Pascal just appeared opposite Nicolas Cage in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. Pascal received many good reviews for his work in that Cage movie where Cage played himself. These recently cast performers are two fine talents who can definitely pull off something like Brokeback Mountain. Hawke is one of the most underrated actors of his generation while Pascal has quietly been making a name for himself as a force to contend with.

Almodovar has made a number of great films from Volver to Broken Embraces to The Skin I Live In. His work is always a big draw at art houses and while this upcoming Western is not a feature, as previously stated, the short movie will certainly pique the curiosity of fans of the two fascinating stars and its talented director. You couldn’t ask for a more compelling set of actors than the very versatile Hawke and Pascal who will undoubtedly triumph in Almodovar’s capable hands.

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