Cannes Film Festival? More like Natalie Portman casting festival. With several projects already announced featuring the actress either taking the job or in talks in the past few days, here comes another, with word that she’ll play Jackie Kennedy in a long-gestating drama.
The film itself, Jackie, chronicles the four days in Kennedy’s life after the assassination of her husband, President John F. Kennedy in Dallas in 1963. She’s dealing with losing the love of her life while a nation rallies around her in a time of tragedy.
Darren Aronofsky had been developing the project to star then-partner Rachel Weisz back in 2010, but it fell into limbo when they split. Portman was mooted as the new Jackie in 2012, but it has taken a few years to come together. Aronofsky remains on board as producer, with No director Pablo Larraín now calling the shots. He’s scheduled to start shooting at the end of 2015.
Portman has been the subject of much film activity recently – she’s circling Alex Garland’s **Annihilation, is contemplating playing US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg in **The Basis Of Sex and is attached to star as a spiritualist in **Planetarium. She has directorial debut** A Tale Of Love And Darkness** at Cannes, while Portman will also be seen in **Jane Got A Gun **(September 4) and Terrence Malick’s Knight Of Cups, which has a reported UK release date on January 1, 2016.