Natalie Portman has already directed a film before, with 2015’s “A Tale of Love and Darkness.” However, for her next directorial project, she’s upping her game considerably. Instead of just being behind the camera, the Academy Award-winning actress will direct and star in an upcoming film but will go a step farther, as she will have not one but two acting roles.
The as-yet-untitled film, directing and starring Portman, will be based on the lives of identical twin sisters Pauline Esther Friedman and Esther Pauline Friedman, better known as the writers behind the advice columns “Dear Abby” and “Ask Ann Landers.” And as you probably guessed, both sisters will be played by Portman.
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For those not familiar with the two writers, who went by the pen names Abigail Van Buren and Ann Landers, respectively, they both rose to prominence in the mid-‘50s as advice column writers at competing papers. And over the decades began a bitter professional feud that would last the rest of their lives.
The untitled biopic is written by Katie Robbins, who is best known for her work as producer and writer on the Showtime series “The Affair,” and will be produced by Peter Saraf and Dani Melia of Big Beach Films.
Portman has a very busy last half of 2018, as she’s starring in a couple of high-profile festival films. Debuting soon at Venice, Portman stars in Brady Corbet’s musical drama, “Vox Lux,” which will feature music by Sia. And then after that, she’ll be seen in Xavier Dolan’s latest film, “The Death and Life of John F. Donovan,” which will debut at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival.
There’s no word on a release date for the untitled ‘Ann Landers/Dear Abby’ film as of yet.
This news was first reported by Collider, and the deal’s confirmation was reported in Variety.
