Choi Min-soo to Co-Star With De Niro

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter

Korean actor Choi Min-soo will co-star alongside Hollywood stars Robert De Niro and Andy Garcia in the up-coming film "Street of Dreams", Yonhap news reported Tuesday.

"Street of Dreams" is a 40 billion won co-production between US-based FR Productions, Korea's Hyun Jin Cinema and Japan's Wides Japan. It will be produced by Fred Roos, whose credits include "The Godfather: Part II" and "The Godfather: Part III".

Hyun Jin Cinema has produced Korean films such as "Holiday" and "My Wife is a Gangster 3".

"Street of Dreams" is based on the true story of Montana Joe, a legendary Japanese-American gangster in the 1940s. In the film, Choi will play the role of Montana's Korean friend, Eddie. This will be Choi's first Hollywood film, having appeared in several Korean films such as "Holiday" and "Sword in the Moon".

FR Productions said De Niro has been cast as an Italian mafia leader. De Niro, who has won two Academy Awards, is known for memorable roles in "The Godfather Part II", "Taxi Driver" and "The Untouchables".

Garcia, who also appeared in "The Untouchables", "The Godfather: Part III" and the "Ocean's" series, will also play a mafia boss. Chinese actress Shu Qi will also star in the film.

However, no actor has been cast in the lead role of Montana. There will be auditions for the role in April and May.

Raymond De Felitta, who was nominated for an Academy Award for a live-action short film "Bronx Cheer", will direct the film. Roger Towne, who won an Academy Award for "Chinatown" in 1975, wrote the script.

"Street of Dreams" is slated for release in 2009.