Cunard Line has announced that award-winning film director Wes Anderson will sail with flagship Queen Mary 2 during her 13 June 2014 Transatlantic Crossing.
Anderson will be joined on board by a group of esteemed colleagues who are also close collaborators – Academy Award®-winning actress Tilda Swinton, actor Jason Schwartzman and screenplay writer and producer Roman Coppola.
Guests on board the seven-day voyage will have an exclusive opportunity to participate in multiple film screenings, plus a Q&A session with the entire group in Queen Mary 2’s Royal Court Theatre. This special event will include a screening of Mr. Anderson’s newest film, the critically acclaimed The Grand Budapest Hotel, which includes Ms. Swinton and Mr. Schwartzman in its all-star cast, with Special Photography helmed by Mr. Coppola. The film has received rave reviews from viewers and critics, and it is Mr. Anderson’s highest-grossing film to date.
“We are delighted to welcome Wes Anderson and his friends, Jason Schwartzman, Roman Coppola and Tilda Swinton, aboard Queen Mary 2, especially during her 10th Anniversary year,” said David Dingle, CEO of Cunard Line. “Mr. Anderson has many fans among Cunard guests, and we know they will jump at this unique opportunity to enjoy his films, and spend time with him and his wonderful collaborators. It’s another example of the exceptional programming we feature on our Transatlantic Crossings.”
Wes Anderson is well-known for his distinct visual and narrative style, as seen in films such as The Royal Tenenbaums and The Darjeeling Limited. The Grand Budapest Hotel won The Jury Grand Prix at the Berlin International Film Festival.
Anderson traveled on one of the last voyages of Queen Elizabeth 2. “This is going to be my first time on board Queen Mary 2, but I have been looking forward to having this chance since before the ship was even launched over ten years ago,” Anderson said. “I’m especially happy to be able to travel this way with my great friends.”
Tilda Swinton is a Scottish actress, producer and cultural activist admired for her unique style and beloved by the film and fashion worlds alike. In addition to the Wes Anderson films, The Grand Budapest Hotel and Moonrise Kingdom, Ms. Swinton’s films include Orlando, The Chronicles of Narnia, I Am Love, Burn After Reading, We Need To Talk about Kevin and Only Lovers Left Alive. In 2008, Ms. Swinton won the Academy Award® for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Michael Clayton.
American actor and musician Jason Schwartzman is best known for his frequent collaborations with Mr. Anderson, including his breakthrough performance in Rushmore, as well as appearances in Fantastic Mr. Fox, Moonrise Kingdom and The Grand Budapest Hotel, to name a few. He has also garnered critical praise for performances in I Heart Huckabees and Shopgirl.
Roman Coppola is an American film director, producer and screenplay writer. He has collaborated with Mr. Anderson on a number of films, including The Darjeeling Limited and The Grand Budapest Hotel. Both Mr. Coppola and Mr. Anderson were nominated for the Academy Award® for Best Original Screenplay for Moonrise Kingdom.
Wes Anderson, Roman Coppola, Tilda Swinton and Jason Schwartzman are part of Cunard’s illustrious history of hosting famed entertainers with peerless cachet. Legendary notables such as Elizabeth Taylor, Rita Hayworth, Cary Grant and Clark Gable frequently crossed the Atlantic on Cunard’s earlier Queens, Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth; and since Queen Mary 2’s debut nearly ten years ago, the ship has welcomed film notables such as George Lucas, Uma Thurman, John Cleese and Angela Bassett. Later this summer, Grammy® Award-winning singer-songwriter James Taylor will also join Queen Mary 2 on her 27 August Transatlantic Crossing.
For nearly 175 years, Cunard Line’s Transatlantic Crossing has appealed to a broad range of sophisticated travellers with a love of glamour, elegance and tradition. Each Crossing aboard Queen Mary 2 features a series of Royal Nights themed balls on the largest dance floor at sea in the Queens Room; and the Royal Court Theatre presents West End-style musical revues and guest performers.
