Rachel Weisz Will Play Elizabeth Taylor In A New Biopic Called A Special Relationship

The film will focus on Taylor’s work as an activist in the 1980s

Rachel Weisz is about to show the world a very different side of Elizabeth Taylor.

Weisz is set to play to the Hollywood icon in the upcoming biopic A Special Relationship, which will focus not on the star’s dramatic love life, but on her activism in the 1980s. Taylor’s shift toward activism was inspired by her close friendship with her assistant at the time, Roger Wall, a man from the Deep South. 

A Special Relationship has Oscar buzz written all over it. In addition to its Academy Award–winning lead, Weisz, the film is being produced by See-Saw Films (the company behind The King’s Speech and Lion) with a script written by Simon Beaufoy (who wrote Slumdog Millionaire and 127 Hours). Female filmmaking duo Bert & Bertie (Troop Zero) have been tapped to direct.

“Audiences are clearly fascinated by the private lives of iconic Hollywood stars,” See-Saw Films’ Iain Canning and Emile Sherman said of the film, according to The Hollywood Reporter. “There is no one more iconic than Elizabeth Taylor, and Simon Beaufoy has written a role that shines a light on Elizabeth’s humor and humanity which will be beautifully brought to life through the extraordinary talents of Rachel Weisz. At its heart, A Special Relationship is a story of friendship and what better way of guaranteeing that translates to the screen than trusting the directing talents of real-life best friends and creative collaborators Bert & Bertie. Troop Zero dazzled audiences at Sundance and, like that film, A Special Relationship is a celebration of how friendships can change people’s lives, and how Elizabeth helped change the world.”

From Harper’s Bazaar U.S.