'August: Osage County': Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts Officially Team For Film Version Of Broadway Hit

Back in October of 2010, the Internet was abuzz with news that Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts would join forces to bring "August: Osage County" to the big screen. Better late than never! According to a press release from The Weinstein Company, Streep and Roberts will finally star in "August" when production begins this fall.

Based on the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning play by Tracy Letts, "August: Osage County" focuses on an Oklahoma family that reunites after the mysterious death of the family patriarch. Streep is set to play Violet, the pill-addled matriarch of the Weston family, who constantly butts heads with her eldest daughter, Barbara (Roberts). John Wells (TV's "ER," "The Company Man") will direct.

"After seeing Meryl Streep's mesmerizing portrayal as Margaret Thatcher in 'The Iron Lady,' it has me even more excited and proud to co star with her," Roberts said in the press release.

The role of Violet won Deanna Dunagan a Tony Award, so should Streep not win an Oscar for "The Iron Lady," at least she has her 18th nomination sewn up.

[via Press Release]

Comments

[jonesygal]

12:17 PM on 02/17/2012

Julia is incredibly likable and is a decent actress. But, she is not anywhere near the level of Meryl Streep. Now, Cate Blanchett and Meryl Streep in a movie together ... add in Paul Giamitti and Philip Seymour Hoffman and THAT would be an ALL STAR cast with the biggest powerhouses alive today.

[Dots]

10:40 AM on 02/17/2012

It's all good. Don't know about the director.

[mamacat]

09:24 AM on 02/17/2012

Good. Very good.

[cdchicago]

08:38 AM on 02/17/2012

Julia Roberts should not be on the end of a sentence that started with Meryl Streep. That is like comparing plain white bread to fine chiffon cake. Roberts can barely convince me she is julia roberts.

[charlie v]

08:23 AM on 02/17/2012

Finally? Finally to who? What ever are you talking about? Who can recall watching one of their movies and thinking to themselves "gee, I wonder when Roberts will be in a movie with Streep?" Personally, never even put them in the same class of talent. Surely, Roberts will be taking the Supporting role in the film.

[Margo Arrowsmith]

05:58 AM on 02/17/2012

I am waiting and waiting to see Meryl Streep and Glen Close in the same movie, playing with and against each other!   Now THAT will be a movie.

[Rozanna]

08:12 AM on 02/17/2012

They were in a movie together, weren't they? It was called The House of the Spirits based on a book by Isabel Allende. The movie wasn't very good though.

[greenygenie]

01:30 AM on 02/18/2012

Well, stop waiting.
It happened already.
And it wasn't all THAT.

[KIVPossum]

02:59 AM on 02/17/2012

If it has Streep in it, I will watch it. Love her work

[McGoo]

01:44 AM on 02/17/2012

Epic miscasting. Both Meryl and Julia.
Too bad the producers can't see past a dollar sign.
PS? Thanks Harvey Weinstein for wrecking the play.

[Jailai]

01:25 AM on 02/17/2012

Who has the worst, most irritating fake cackle? Roberts or Streep?

[GoogleyEyed]

11:33 PM on 02/16/2012

Gawd! Maybe Roberts will finally learn how to act--at least a little--from watching Streep in action.

[donnyraindog]

11:24 PM on 02/16/2012

Julie Roberts may not be in Streeps league but what living actress is? The only instance i've seen of an actress coming close to upstaging Meryl was the beautiful Emma Thompson in the muliple roles they each played in the greatly under rated Angles In America HBO production.

[Gnarly]

10:37 PM on 02/16/2012

meryl, don't do it. you're a national treasure. don't do a movie with the "pretty woman" "actress." have tom hanks talk you off the ledge.

[GoogleyEyed]

11:31 PM on 02/16/2012

Fanned!

[hearteli31]

09:59 PM on 02/16/2012

I love you julia roberts. you're simply the best actress of all time..

[Reneesouflee]

08:39 PM on 02/16/2012

Ooh. Best play I've seen in years, this is exciting!!!

[asianb]

08:33 PM on 02/16/2012

I feel a little sorry for Roberts. Unless Meryl takes it down a thousand notches it will be revealed how overated she really is.