Focus finds Will Smith another 23-year-old actress to romance instead of Kristen Stewart

By Sean O'Neal | July 16, 2013 | 4:04pm

Aux Features Film

Warner Bros. has at last found the male marquee name and the much younger female lead who validates his box-office appeal for Focus, the long-gestating con-artist romance from Crazy Stupid Love duo Glenn Ficarra and John Requa. After abandoning the original idea to reteam that movie’s Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, producers moved on to Brad Pitt and then Ben Affleck—the latter dropping out after realizing it would conflict with Live By Night, and certainly not because it would mean attempting to romance Kristen Stewart. Then Stewart dropped out, after producers moved from the 40-year-old Affleck to the 44-year-old Will Smith, and Stewart suddenly cited an uncomfortable age gap, and certainly not any other reason, as Kristen Stewart feels very uncomfortable romancing men over the age of, say, 42.

But finally, Variety reports that Focus is nearly settled, and now Will Smith will be the veteran con man teaching the ways of grifting and loving to Pan Am and Wolf Of Wall Street actress Margot Robbie—who is, like Kristen Stewart, 23 years old, but unlike Kristen Stewart, capable of feigning romantic interest in Will Smith. Robbie reportedly won the role after several others were tested, including Olivia Munn, Jessica Biel, Michelle Williams, Rose Byrne, and, presumably, Will Smith in a wig, as he sought to ensure he'd be the lead.