Ellen Page and Allison Janney are attached to star in the dramatic comedy “Tallulah,” which will mark the directorial debut of “Orange Is the New Black” writer Sian Heder, TheWrap has learned.
Page and Janney (pictured above in 2008) previously worked together on Jason Reitman‘s “Juno” and Lynn Shelton’s “Touchy Feely.”
Story follows a woman who rescues a baby from her reckless mother and pretends the child is hers, with the help of her ex-boyfriend’s mother. Everyone assumes the baby girl has been kidnapped, and when she is returned to her rightful mother, the three women form a close bond.
Route One Entertainment is producing and co-financing the indie movie with Ocean Blue Entertainment. Good Universe has been shopping to foreign buyers at Cannes, while ICM Partners represents U.S. rights.
Heather Rae will produce with Route One’s Russell Levine, Maiden Voyage’s Chris Columbus and Eleanor Columbus and Todd Traina. Production is slated to start next month.
Page, who recently starred in “X-Men: Days of Future Past,” could find herself in the awards conversation again this year thanks to “Freeheld,” which co-stars Julianne Moore, Steve Carell and Michael Shannon, and boasts Kelly Bush among its producing team. She has also wrapped Patricia Rozema’s “Into the Forest” with Evan Rachel Wood, which Page also produced. She’s represented by WME, Vie Entertainment and attorney Kevin Yorn.
Janney will soon be seen in Paul Feig’s “Spy” and heard in Illumination Entertainment’s animated tentpole “Minions.” She also stars on the CBS sitcom “Mom” and has been filming Tim Burton’s adaptation of “Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children.” She’s repped by the Gersh Agency, Thruline Entertainment and attorney Peter Nelson.
The news was first reported by Screen Daily.