Close, Garcia bring Nobbs to the screen

Multi Oscar nominee Glenn Close is to reprise one of her most famous stage roles on screen. She will star in, co-produce and has co-scripted costume drama Albert Nobbs, which London-based WestEnd Films is selling in Berlin.

Rodrigo Garcia, who directed Close in Nine Lives and Things You Can Tell Just By Looking At Her, will direct the film, a screen version of Broadway hit The Singular Life Of Albert Nobbs which won Close an Obie award in the 1980s. Shooting is set to start in July.

Orlando Bloom, Michael Gambon and Janet McTeer have been lined up to co-star in the film which Close is producing with Bonnie Curtis and Julie Lynn.

Set in a luxury hotel in Dublin, Albert Nobbs is a Gosford Park-style “below stairs” drama featuring  Close as a woman in Nineteenth Century Ireland who disguises herself as a man in order to survive. The celebrated actress has said that Nobbs will be “the  challenge” of her career. “I believe in this story and its potential to take everyone on a sensuous, funny, heart-breaking ride,”  Close commented.

Albert Nobbs marks the second collaboration between WestEnd and Garcia following their partnership on the critically acclaimed Mother and Child.