Acclaimed writer-director Nora Ephron (Sleepless in Seattle, Julie & Julia) died from pneumonia in 2012 and left behind a number of unfinished projects. One of those is an untitled Peggy Lee biopic, which Reese Witherspoon (Walk The Line) had long been attached to. The script was understandably shelved following Ephron’s death, but now it appears it may be picking up momentum once again with the commitment of director Todd Haynes (I’m Not There).
Pulitzer-Prize winning playwright Doug Wright (I Am My Own Wife) was brought on recently to do a rewrite, which is the draft Haynes and Witherspoon will be working from. Wright’s credentials also include the stage and screen adaptation of Quills.
The match of director and star looks perfect on paper, as Haynes’ resume includes several female-driven stories, including the 2002 drama Far From Heaven starring Julianne Moore and his unconventional 2007 Bob Dylan biopic I’m Not There, which starred Cate Blanchett as a facet of Bob Dylan’s personality. Haynes is currently in the final stages of post-production on Carol, a drama that also stars Blanchett, along with Rooney Mara.
Word of this development comes as Witherspoon is in Toronto for the premiere of her new movie, Wild.
Leave a Comment