The sun will come out tomorrow for Cameron Diaz…
The 40-year-old half-Cuban American actress has signed on to star in the new big screen adaptation of Annie.
Diaz will play the cantankerous orphanage matron Miss Hannigan, a rep for Columbia Pictures confirmed to Entertainment Weekly, in the actress’ first official musical role onscreen.
The character of Miss Hannigan was memorably portrayed by Carol Burnett in the original 1982 big-screen version of Annie, which was directed by John Huston. For this new version, Easy A helmer Will Gluck will assume the directing duties.
Sandra Bullock had reportedly been in talks for the scene-stealing role, but she recently pulled out.
Diaz joins a star-studded production that’s being produced by Will Smith and Jay-Z.
The cast includes Oscar winner Jamie Foxx, who will play a Daddy Warbucks–like billionaire character, while Quvenzhané Wallis—who at 9 years old became the youngest Best Actress Oscar nominee for her work in Beasts of the Southern Wild—will take on the titular role.
Production is expected to start in the fall with a Christmas 2014 release date in mind.
