Meryl Streep as Susan Boyle?

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Today in casting news: A rumor about Meryl Streep has us concerned, the American Broadchurch adaptation fills out its cast promisingly, and new work for Kate Walsh.

We should definitely take this with a grain of salt, but there is a report that Meryl Streep may be playing Britain's Got Talent curio turned legit recording artist Susan Boyle in a movie based on her life. You remember Susan Boyle, the humble-looking lady who busted out a big "I Dreamed a Dream" in her BGT audition in 2009, shocking the world because oh my god a normal-looking person can sing?? Supposedly there is going to be a movie about her (much like there's the Paul Potts movie with James Corden) and Meryl, though a decade and a half older than Boyle was when she went on the show, may be playing her. That's what Boyle says at least, so, again, we may need to be a little skeptical. Catherine Zeta-Jones and Glenn Close, who have both won Tony awards for performing in musicals, have also been mentioned. Boyle said she doesn't want to play herself, as was originally the plan. So who knows! Would Streep work? I'm sure there are plenty among us who would say that she works for everything, she can do any role, but I'd say.... Eh. I dunno. Just because she might work for everything doesn't mean she has to play everything. And Susan Boyle would just be another bit of mimicry, wouldn't it? I say no to this. No to this entirely. Sorry. [The Independent]

Interesting. The American version of the British murder mystery series Broadchurch, which will be called Gracepoint, is rounding out its cast and they've landed on two strong actresses. Anna Gunn will play the series's ostensible second lead, Detective Ellie Miller, played by the wonderful Olivia Colman in the original series. Meanwhile, Jacki Weaver will play the mysterious Susan Wright, who knows more about the show's central murder than she lets on. That is good casting! And hopefully bodes well for the series as a whole. That the series is going to be on Fox has me nervous, but it is the same creative team (plus David Tennant) doing the adaptation, so... Maybe it won't stink? Nah, it's gonna stink. [Deadline]

Her show Private Practice hasn't even been dead a year, and Kate Walsh is already taking up with another series. She's signed on to star in a comedy from producer Will Ferrell, though the show is based on an idea by Anne Heche. Uh oh! Anne Heche has had some pretty weird ideas in her day, so this could be a doozy. The show, called Bad Judge (like Bad Santa and Bad Teacher, I guess — it's a whole genre!), is about "a hard-living, sexually unapologetic woman (Walsh) who plays with the law and whose life on the edge is constantly in balance, as she also happens to be a judge in the San Bernardino Criminal Court system." Aha. Good thinking, Heche. Of course we were all hoping it'd be about Celestia and whatnot, but this will do. The show has gone to NBC, which could use a good wacky sitcom. Will this be the one? Well, if you can't trust Anne Heche's ideas, whose can you? [The Hollywood Reporter]

Katie Chang, who played one of the burgling Valley girls in Sofia Coppola's The Bling Ring, has joined the cast of Anesthesia, a drama from director Tim Blake Nelson. In the movie, Chang will play the love interest of Sam Waterston's grandson. Waterston plays a Columbia professor who is violently mugged. The movie also stars Glenn Close, Gretchen Mol, and Kristen Stewart. Interesting cast! And potentially an interesting movie. Tim Blake Nelson's films — O, The Grey Zone, Leaves of Grass — are never masterworks, but there's always something going in with them. So, well chosen Ms. Chang. Good luck to you. [The Hollywood Reporter]

Rosemarie DeWitt has joined the HBO miniseries based on the Pulitzer-winning novel Olive Kitteridge. The one that's being directed by Lisa Cholodenko. And stars Frances McDormand and Richard Jenkins. Also Jesse Plemons is in it. So... This will be good! It has to, right? It just has to. [Deadline]

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