Salt : Tom Cruise was in the frame for the main role of Edwin Salt


Salt started out as an action film scripted for a male lead character. Initially Tom Cruise was in the frame for the main role of Edwin Salt; however a combination of commitments to other projects and realising that the lead role was too similar to the character of Ethan Hunt played by Cruise in the Mission Impossible movies meant that Cruise was unable to commit to the project. Columbia Pictures Executive Any Pascal suggested Angelina Jolie for the role having spoken to her in the past about possible ideas to create a female spy franchise.

Salt (2010) - Movie PosterJolie, having read the script and liking it was now on board and Edwin Salt became Evelyn Salt

Salt is a contemporary action thriller from Columbia Pictures in which Jolie plays Evelyn Salt, a CIA officer who swore an oath to duty, honour and country. However, that loyalty is tested to the limit, when a defector accuses her of being a Russian spy, forcing her to go on the run. Using her training, skills and years of experience as a covert operative to avoid capture, Salt's attempts to prove her innocence only serve to cast further doubt on her motives. As the hunt to uncover the truth behind her identity continues the question still remains, who is Salt?

Directed by Phillip Noyce, principal photography took place on location in Washington DC and New York City in 2009. Jolie spent time training for her role that called for her character to shoot, jump off things, infiltrate places and jump out of helicopters. Filming was temporarily halted when Jolie suffered a minor head injury during the filming of one such action sequence and although taken to hospital as a precautionary measure, she was released on the same day.

Co-starring with Angelina Jolie are Liev Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Daniel Olbrychski, Ander Braugher, Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Mark Vahradian.

The Film is scheduled for release in the US on 23rd July and in the UK on August 20th.



Salt - Trailer