Casting shortlist for Ready Player One’s Art3mis revealed

The list of actresses up for the role of Ready Player One's lead female Art3mis, Samantha Cook's avatar in the virtual reality universe known as Oasis, has apparently been narrowed down.

TheWrap reported director Steven Spielberg's castling shortlist, and actresses in the running for the role include (ordered from left to right in the image above) Elle Fanning (Maleficent, Super 8), Olivia Cooke (Me and Earl and the Dying, Ouija), Lola Kirke (Mistress America, Gone Girl), and two unamed actresses. Sources say it's still early in the casting process, but casting director Ellen Lewis is hoping to narrow the field for Spielberg so that he "can move quickly once he's able to turn his attention away from 'Bridge of Spies' and 'The BFG.'"

For those unfamiliar, Art3mis is a famous gunter in Oasis, intelligent, independent, and bold. Wade Watts (known as Parzival in the digital world) also has a major crush on her, complicating their competition in the hunt. Watts describes Art3mis as "raven-haired" with a pretty face: hazel eyes, a pointy chin, rounded cheekbones, and a perpetual smirk. She also has a body "unusual" compared to other female avatars in Oasis — Rubenesque.

***SPOILER***

It's discovered that Samantha, the real-life player, looks identical to her avatar except for a birthmark on the left side of her face.

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There's still no word on the young men being eyed to play the main protagonist Watts, but with a December 2017 release date, I'm sure we'll hear more sooner rather than later.