Although it all sounds a little dubious, The Telegraph is reporting that Angelina Jolie and Catherine Zeta Jones are fighting it out to play Liza Taylor in a new biopic, which is due to be directed by Mike Nichols. Not only that, but Russell Crowe, Clive Owen and Colin Farrell are being touted as possible Richard Burtons.
However before you get too excited, most of the info for the story seems to have come from people promoting a new book by Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger (along with vague ‘industry source) – and wouldn’t you know it, the tome is a Liz Taylor biopic called, Furious Love: Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and the Marriage of the Century. The writer supposedly given unprecedented access to a series of love letters written by Burton to Taylor during the course of their two marriages, as well as an unpublished first draft of Taylors 1965 autobiography.
Jolie and Zeta Jones’ names were leaked to Entertainment Tonight, but its tough to know whether there’s even the tiniest amount of truth in the rumours. Liz Taylor has long been a magnet for those wanting to make a biopic, due to her endless marriages, never-ending series of health problems and generally over-sized life, but all have faltered because the backers know it would be tough to get a film made about her without her co-operation. It could be done, but it would be immensely difficult. That said, it appears she did somewhat co-operate with the writing of Furious Love, so perhaps Taylor is open to the idea of a film version. It’d be interesting if it did happen, but I’m not gonna hold my breath.