Filmmakers seek 'authentic' Heathcliff

Director Andrea Arnold is seeking an 'authentic'-looking actor to play Heathcliff in her Wuthering Heights movie.

Filmmakers have entered into discussions with members of Yorkshire's Romany community to find someone who matches author Emily Brontë's description of the character, reports The Times.

"We're certainly after somebody who best fits that Brontë description in the book," said Gail Stevens, the film's casting director, best known for her work on Slumdog Millionaire.

Until now, Heathcliff has traditionally been played by British actors including Laurence Olivier and Ralph Fiennes.

Filming on the movie is due to begin in the summer.