Amber Heard
According to various sources Amber Heard is either in negotiations for the role of Chenault or has indeed secured the part. Here is a little report from firstshowing.net :
Amber Heard will play the “unattainable” romantic interest Chenault, whom is the girlfriend of “a slick PR consultant named Sanderson” that becomes entangled in a corrupt hotel development scheme with Kemp. The role of Sanderon hasn’t been cast yet, or at least, they haven’t publicly revealed a name. Heard’s role apparently has quite a bit of nudity, but if you haven’t heard, she’s pretty much nude all throughout The Informers, so this wasn’t a big issue for her. I didn’t see The Informers, so I can’t speak for her acting abilities, but obviously with the roles she’s getting, it’s starting to seem like she’s the next big thing.
That is about it for now folks,
Ron Mexico
Totally Gonzo 
Hey Ron, I am a little confused. In The Rum Diary Chenault is not Sanderson’s girlfriend, but rather Yeamon’s. He is another writer at the newspaper where Kemp works.
I can’t imagine Johnny Depp producing an HST movie that changes the plot of the book so I am thinking the site you are cutting and pasting from has its facts wrong.
I’m not sure how a guy running a blog/site devoted to the Good Doctor could reference a site with such clearly false info and not mention the inconsistencies.
I am well aware of the changes and have reliable information that the changes are indeed correct as Bruce Robinson has altered the story. Remember many many big screen adaptations of novels do this, The Rum Diary is no exception. Fear and Loathing also had changes although not quite as obvious. There has been many reports from the casting calls that indicate that Yeamon is no longer part of the story. I am not going to judge this film before they even start shooting. Remember Hunter had been discussing the filming of this for a long time and for all that we know he may have had some hand in these changes. Lets just wait and see ok.
Joe… You sound like a dick.
I’ve already read the Rum Diary a bunch of times and I look forward to seeing the movie precisely because it’ll be different… If I wanted to watch the book, I’d film the pages and watch it. Movies are always different and we shouldn’t judge them ’til they’re done.
Wow. I am almost speechless…almost.
I can’t believe that Colonel Depp is behind this. Yes, a lot of novel adaptations have changes to better suit an on-screen version, but most adaptations aren’t produced by someone with such a close relationship with the author. Fear & Loathing had changes, but nothing like this. Anyone who knows a lot about HST or heard him speak about The Rum Diary knows that Yeamon was based on him just as much as Kemp. The two characters together were the different sides of Hunter during those days in San Juan. To change Yeamon’s role in the movie is one thing, to take it out altogether and make Sanderson the 2nd character is totally different. That would be like if they had replaced Doctor Gonzo in F&L with Steadman. Sure, it might have still been entertaining, but it’s far from what HST wrote.
I am going to see The Rum Diary if/when it comes out even if it’s set on Mars and not Puerto Rico because I love HST and want to see any/all movies even loosely based on his work. But I will judge it even before it starts shooting. I think this is a bad call by Depp, Robinson and even HST if he was part of it.
Thanks for responding though and keep the updates on the flick coming.
You are right – I read the whole screenplay.
Yeamon is no longer part of the story and Chenault is Sanderson’s girlfriend…..
Wow, I can’t believe this… They took out a very important character like yeamon? That is going to change everything… I am curious as to how they are going to put this together, like the incident with the police and when kemp, yeamon and chenault went to St. Thomas together…???? This is very disappointing.
the removal of yeamon is troubling. i found him to be the most interesting character in the novel and the character kemp both admired and pitied above all others. is it just a nominal character switch as sanderson is much more pleasing to the caucasian masses than a name like yeamon, i mean how does one even pronounce such an outlandish name? all in all i would say it’s fucked.
I just finished reading the Rum Diary, wanting to do so before seeing the movie, and I totally loved it. An instant classic for me and was looking forward to seeing Depp and the movie. But now to hear that Yeamon is out?! I’m speechless too. After Kemp, his was the best character in the book, and the axis around much of the key action took place. Take him out and the story disappears. And to combine him with Sanderson who was the polar opposite, it’s ludicrous.
I also see that they’ve shifted the year to 1960 and added LSD, presumably to tie in to this idea that people have of the sixties. This is so lame. I liked that this book was set in the 1950s as it’s one more nod to the fact that the Fifties below the surface were as wild as later decades and much more interesting. And this is the Rum Diary not the LSD Diary. The book is about the lives of hard-drinking journalists, so why introduce LSD? It’s more nonsense.
Adapting for film is one thing, but completely butchering the plot is another. I don’t care if this script had HST’s blessing, I’ll pass on the movie now and go back and enjoy the book again instead.
The only way I can see the absence of Yeamon’s character succeeding for HST fans is if they mush him into Paul Kemp… Like Joe said, Yeamon is bad just as much on HST as Kemp is… so maybe they’re attempting to combine the roles into one person..?
first of all i have to say why do you think joe “sounds like a dick”???
the rum diary is my favourite book. i have read it 10 maybe 12 times. i am a huge fan of hst’s work. of course movie adaptions of novels have changes in them but when you claim to have read the book a bunch of times you have to see that the character of yeamon is an integral part to the storyline of the book.
of course i will wait for the movie to see how it all turns out but i can say now that a change like that is a disappointment to fans of the original novel. i really loved yeamons character and to take him out and making chenault sanderson’s girl doesn’t make sense WHAT SO EVER!!!.
imagine fear and loathing without dr. gonzo. it would be a let down.
i think it’s weak to say someone’s a dick (or sounds like such) just because he wants a proper adaption of what he loves on paper on film .
plus with regard to hunters death having took place in 2004 i dont think he had any control over the script. he did want to make this novel a movie for decades but i don’t think for a second that he had anything to do with the movie we are about to see.
anyways i will wait for it, watch it and then judge it…greets from germany…
I’m very much reconsidering renting this DVD. Removing a main character? Adding in LSD for the frat boys who liked “Fear and Loathing???” HST never would have allowed this, were he still alive. Sounds like another pile o’ garbage!