Elissa Grossell Dickey is a mother, writer, and multiple sclerosis warrior who believes in the power of strong coffee and captivating stories.
Here she dreamcasts an adaptation of her debut novel, The Speed of Light:
The Speed of Light is book club fiction following a tumultuous year in the life of a woman grappling with a multiple sclerosis diagnosis, a new love, and a terrifying workplace incident. Now, call me biased, but I think The Speed of Light would make a fantastic movie, with its mix of excitement, emotion, and romance. If I’m ever lucky enough for that to happen, here’s who I imagine playing the lead roles:Visit Elissa Grossell Dickey's website.
Simone Archer: Simone would be played by Shailene Woodley. To be honest, I’ve always had trouble imagining who would play my main character. But when I posed the question to family and friends, multiple people suggested Shailene, who of course is famous for the Divergent films and Big Little Lies. Now, I can’t think of anyone more perfect to play a strong, caring, resilient character like Simone!
Connor Davies: Simone’s love interest would be played by Chris Evans. Yes, Chris, as in Marvel’s Captain America, is who I imagine as Connor. Honestly, who better to play the kind, funny, handsome hero who is always there for Simone than Cap himself?
Nikki Donovan: Simone’s best friend would be played by another Marvel star, Brie Larson. I swear I’m not going for a superhero theme here, and yet I think the Captain Marvel actress would be perfect as the smart, sassy, and loyal best friend who helps Simone through the hardest time of her life.
Director: In terms of a dream director, I would love to see actress Selma Blair take on this project. Like Simone (and like me), Selma lives with MS, so she would be perfect to direct this film with authenticity and compassion. I would also love to see her in the role of Danielle, the kind woman from the support group who offers Simone wise advice about living with MS.
Again, I think The Speed of Light would make an amazing film, be it in theaters, on Lifetime, or as a Netflix original. Now that I’ve spoken it into the universe, here’s hoping this dream will someday come true!
--Marshal Zeringue
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