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Rachel Weisz and Heath Ledger Dig "Dirt"

Rachel WeiszRachel Weisz (who just had a baby with Darren Aronofsky) and Heath Ledger are in negotiations to star in "Dirt Music," an adaptation of the Tim Winton novel that will be directed in Australia by Phillip Noyce, according to Variety.

The film is set in a remote fishing village on the West Australian coast and described by Publishers Weekly as "a tale of three characters' perilous journey into the Australian wilderness in efforts to escape and atone for their pasts." Wikipedia dishes a little more of the plot saying, "Georgie, the 'heroine' of the book, becomes fascinated in watching a stranger attempting to smuggle fish in an area where nobody can maintain secrets for very long; disillusioned with her relationship with the local 'hard man' and entrepreneur Jim Buckridge, she contrives a meeting with the 'stranger' and soon passion runs out of control between two bruised and emotionally fragile people."

Weisz would play Georgie, but it is unclear which role Ledger is negotiating to play.

Noyce optioned the book right after he won accolades for another Australian tale, "Rabbit- Proof Fence." He has also directed "The Bone Collector," "Clear and Present Danger," "Sliver," and "Dead Calm."

Since financing still has yet to be raised, timing on the film is unclear. Production will likely work around the schedules of Weisz, Ledger and Noyce.

If Weisz and Ledger do sign on, funding for the film shouldn't be much of a problem since Weisz just won the Oscar for "The Constant Gardener" and Ledger was nominated for "Brokeback Mountain." -- Shannon Nolley

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Posted by Shannon on June 2, 2006 8:38 PM
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