On the heels of her Oscar-nominated performance in “The Wife,” Glenn Close has found her follow-up. The actress is set to co-star with Amy Adams in Netflix’s adaptation of “Hillbilly Elegy,” with Ron Howard on board to direct, Variety has learned.
Based on J.D. Vance’s bestselling memoir, the pic is a modern exploration of the American dream and follows three generations of an Appalachian family as told by its youngest member, a Yale law student forced to return to his hometown. Close will play the grandmother of the family.
“The Shape of Water” screenwriter Vanessa Taylor adapted the script, with Howard, Brian Grazer, and Karen Lunder producing for Imagine Entertainment. Julie Oh and Vance will executive produce.
Imagine has been developing the movie since 2017, when it acquired the rights. Netflix boarded the project in January after winning a heated bidding war to finance the $45 million feature.
The pic reunites Close with Howard, who previously directed her in the “The Paper” as well in a PSA for Bring Change To Mind, Close’s nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging dialogue about mental health.
Close is coming off some of the best reviews of her career for her performance in Sony Classics drama “The Wife.” The pic not only earned her an Oscar nomination for best actress but won her the Golden Globe and SAG award in the same category. She is repped by CAA, MGMT, and Loeb & Loeb.