Here Dunn dreamcasts an adaptation of her young adult novel, Rebels by Accident:Before the book was finished, I could imagine it on screen.Learn more about Rebels by Accident at Patricia Dunn's website.
I gave a lot of thought to who would play the two main characters in by book. I think Summer Bishil would be wonderful as Mariam. She was in the movie Towelhead, about an Arab American girl who is dealing with, well, let’s just say, a lot.
Of course, she was the same age as my character is, when she did the movie in 2007 and now may be too old for the part, but I think she’s wonderful.
If I was given free rein, I would use the actress who plays Mariam in the book trailer. The first time I saw her was outside my publisher’s office. I looked at her and thought, “I know that girl.” I couldn’t figure out from where. By the time I got to my car, it hit me. “That’s Mariam.” She looked exactly like I had always pictured Mariam. I ran back to my publisher’s office and introduced myself and found out that was meeting my publisher to talk about the trailer. My publisher asked a friend of hers from the Sarah Lawrence College’s theater program if he had someone he thought would be good to do the trailer, and he sent over Arielle Strauss. She not only has the right look, but she is an amazing actress. She totally embodies Mariam’s sprit.
Jennette McCurdy, from iCarly, would be the perfect Deanna. Her dry sense of humor and her take-no-bull attitude is precisely Deanna. And just like her character on iCarly always has her best friend’s back, Deanna always has Mariam’s back.
The director I would choose for this film is Ang Lee. He does an incredible job of taking the written word, and bringing it to life on the screen. He finds a way to be true to the book, yet make great movies. That is an art.
--Marshal Zeringue
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