Juno star Ellen Page has signed
on to play gay in the Hollywood adaptation of the documentary
Freeheld.
The 2007 Academy Award-winning
documentary told the true story of a lesbian couple facing death
while battling a discriminatory government. Lieutenant Laurel Hester
fought for the right to leave her Ocean County, New Jersey police
pension to her domestic partner, Stacie Andree, who'll be played by
Page in the upcoming film, as she faced terminal lung cancer.
Hester's conservative detective partner Dane Wells stepped up to help
her in her fight.
Ron Nyswaner has signed on to adapt
Cynthia Wade's short documentary into a feature film. Nyswaner's
Philadelphia screenplay earned him an Oscar nomination. The
1993 drama featured Tom Hanks as an HIV positive gay man in his own
gay rights battle.
Producer James D. Stern called
Freeheld's story “powerful” and “subject matter that
will resonate with audiences” in announcing the project.
(Source: Deadline.com.)