Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Doctor "James Barry" - The Movie

From The Daily Mail:
"Natascha McElhone's husband Martin Kelly was known for his pioneering work in reconstructive plastic surgery.

Before his death in May this year he set up Facing The World, a charity dedicated to helping children with complex medical conditions.

Now the actress is set to honour her late husband's profession in a poignant role as a surgeon who changed history.

The 36-year-old will play James Miranda Berry in a screen version of the surgeon's life called Heaven on Earth.

Berry made history when she disguised herself as a man to graduate as a doctor in 1812 and later became the first UK doctor to perform a Caesarean section.

McElhone told The Observer: 'Barry defied every convention of her time. She disguised herself as a man to attend medical school, then excelled in an entirely male world, achieving the highest position possible for a military surgeon.

'She was a fearless pioneer, pushing the frontiers of accepted medical practice to find new and effective ways of treating her patients, always putting her own safety and popularity at risks.'

The part will be more meaningful following the unexpected death of husband Kelly this year.

Kelly, 43, was found collapsed in the hall of the couple's £2.5million townhouse in London, just after performing a late-night operation.

Friends say she had planned the role before her husband's death and planned to learn more about surgery from him.

Filming for the movie, directed by Marleen Gorris, is set to start next year in South Africa and England.

McElhone has starred in TV series Californication and films Solaris and Ronin.

She is currently pregnant with the couple's third child. "


See my post on Doctor "James Barry"

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