Dame Judi Dench has signed on for the title role in Philomena, a heavy hitting British drama about a woman's desperate 50-year search for the son she forcedly had to give up for adoption. the project will be directed by Stephen Frears and will begin shooting in Ireland, the U.K and the United States this November.
Philomena is the story of Philomena Lee, an unmarried teenager in 1950s Ireland who was forced by Roman Catholic nuns at the time into selling her new born child, Anthony, to a wealthy couple in Missouri.
The film is based on the 2009 book The Lost Child of Philomena Lee: A Mother, Her Son and a 50 Year Search carried out by former BBC correspondent and Labour government advisor Martin Sixsmith.
Comedian Steve Coogan recently seen in Moone Boy with Chris O’Dowd will co-star as the journalist who helps Lee in her quest to find her son. Pathé UK and BBC Films are co working on the project. A compelling story which is sure to do well given the true life angle.
Dench will next be seen reprising her role as M in the new Bond instalment Skyfall.
Via The Guardian
