Much Ado About Nothing
Allison VanLannen
STARRING
Gwyneth Paltrow
as Beatrice
Taylor Swift
as Hero
Jake Gyllenhaal
as Benedick
Paltrow
Gwyneth Paltrow would be the optimal fit to play the one and only Beatrice. As an actress, Paltrow is known to take on the roles of strong, beautiful, independent women and carries that same aura with her throughout her personal life. Like Beatrice, Paltrow never takes herself too seriously and always puts herself first and foremost. Paltrow, too faces difficulty with falling in love quickly like Beatrice. With strong dedication and incredible independence, Beatrice could not be greater represented by anyone else.
Swift
Hero, a needy, somewhat uni-dimensional character, would be played by the equally needy Taylor Swift. The two girls seem to constantly be doing whatever others tell them to, be it Swift listening to her producer or Hero to her father, Leonato. The two women also depend on men for the majority of their success. Without Claudio, Hero surrenders to a false death; Swift's music career does nearly the same thing when she is without a man to fuel it. Swift, too, always seems to be at the mercy of whatever the media decides to say about her -- rumors spread constantly about her, just like the rumors of Hero's infidelity. Blond, fair, and obdient, Swift would be a picture-perfect Hero.
Gyllenhaal
Witty and charming, Benedick would be best portrayed by Jake Gyllenhaal. As an actor who plays several different types of roles, Gyllenhaal is diverse enough to take on the challenge that is Benedick. Gyllenhaal has the quick wits and charisma that Benedick does, along with his gorgeous looks. A man as funny and handsome as Gyllenhaal would be able to sweep even the stubbornest of Beatrices off her feet.
Love begins to bloom
At the start of the play, as Don Pedro, Benedick, and Claudio return from war, the men are elated to be staying with Leonato. Although Claudio is excited to be with his friends, his biggest interest is in Leonato's daughter, Hero. Unbeknownst to Claudio, Hero feels the same way. This point in the play where the two fall "in love at first sight" is one of the most important parts of the play as it sets the base for the rest of the story. Without their love, there would simply not be a story to tell. This scene also reveals that Claudio and Hero are highly impulsive and will do anything they set their minds to.
The plot thickens
Blinded by their love, Claudio and Hero are oblivious to the plan that Don John, Don Pedro's illegitimate brother, has been brewing. Jealous and power-hungry, Don John decides to try to break the lovers up by claiming Hero has been unfaithful. This is another vital point in the play, as it adds depth and interest. Conflict helps to engage the audience and create an interesting spin on what seemed to be a simple love story. Claudio's instability really shines through in this part of the play, mostly when he refuses to marry Hero without consulting her at all.
a surprise (happy) ending
Despite Don John's attempts, Claudio soon learns the truth about Hero and the two are wed. Seemingly out of the blue, Benedick and Beatrice agree to be married as well. This point in the play is an ironic one, but one that closes the story and leaves the audience with a well-rounded ending. Their marriage shows the play's main theme: love is blind. Benedick and Beatrice are clearly blind to their love for each other until the last final moment when their feelings are revealed for all to see.
The Bass is too loud - The Front Bottoms
Much Ado About Nothing truly encompasses the idea that love is blind through the relationship between Benedick and Beatrice. Both are blinded to their love for each other, which is only to be realized when others point it out for them. This theme is also expressed in the Front Bottoms' song, "The Bass is too Loud". The bridge of the song includes the line "and our relationship is changing but that's not such a bad thing" which embodies Benedick and Beatrice's relationship completely. It expresses their feelings at the end of the play when they take their blinders off and come to terms with their feelings for each other. The line following that one, saying "but it's not such a bad thing" shows the last part of the theme, that though love is blind, it always wins. Despite their original promises to remain single forever, Benedick and Beatrice could not be happier together.