Carmen Maura: In what Francis Ford Coppola is calling a "sex change" operation, Carmen Maura is replacing fellow Spaniard Javier Bardem in the family drama "Tetro."

Coppola said his rewrite of the pivotal role came during rehearsals for the film's 11-week shoot, which began March 31 in Buenos Aires.

"One of the important roles in the script is a mentor and teacher to Tetro (Vincent Gallo), and I originally wrote it for a man," he said. "As I read and reread (the script), I felt that the interaction between the two characters would be far more intriguing if they were of the opposite sex."

The director often changes key elements of his script be¬fore and during filming, he said, but ac¬cording to another person involved in the deal, Bardem "became unavailable" for the project and is reading drafts of the script for his starring role in Rob Marshall's "Nine." The Weinstein Co.'s adaptation of the Broadway musical was delayed by the WGA strike and is expected to begin shooting in September.

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