Ashley Judd is negotiating to join Kevin Kline in
De-Lovely, the Cole Porter biopic that Irwin Winkler is directing for United Artists.
According to
Variety, Judd's in tune for the role of socialite Linda Lee Porter. She married Porter even though he was gay and was a source of inspiration for musical compositions that include 'Anything Goes' and 'Kiss Me Kate'. She nursed him through a tragic accident in which he was trampled by a horse. After she died, he never wrote another song. The film will feature interludes from 30 Porter songs.
The unusual love story, written by Jay Cocks (
Gangs of New York), will shoot in London starting May 5, which gives Judd time to make the film and be back to begin rehearsals to play Maggie the Cat in a Broadway revival of 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof'. Judd was expected to star in
Catwoman this year, but the play schedule changed all that.