This could be the casting of the year – two of the biggest female actors have been cast together on screen for the upcoming film, August: Osage County. The Weinstein Company confirmed today that, after being in talks with the Oscar-winning actresses for over a year, Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts have signed onto the film adaptation of Tracy Letts’ Pulitzer and Tony-winning play. This is so exciting!

August: Osage County is a darkly comedic play, and was the recipient of the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. I’ve seen the play done as a piece of theater and it is pretty spectacular so I have no doubt that it will make an incredible film, especially with these actresses at it’s helm. It can’t get much better. We haven’t been told much except that Meryl and Julia will be playing the role of mother and daughter.

The story centers around the character of Violet Weston (who I assume will be played by the brilliant Meryl). She is a devious matriarch who has been widowed and she is suffering from mouth cancer and addicted to painkillers. The character is snarly and cynical and I think it has been brilliantly cast as Meryl will give the character a real fullness and vitality. I seriously could not imagine a better person to play Violet. I’m assuming that Julia will be playing the role of her eldest daughter, Barbara. Violet has 3 daughters, but Barbara is the strongest and in many ways most sympathetic character who throughout the story is attempting to gain control of her chaotic mother and her own life. There are also 2 other daughters who will make strong supporting actress roles so it will be interesting to see who they cast for those roles..

I am super excited about this casting news and I have no doubt that this is going to make for some incredible acting and a really good Oscar-worthy film come next year… look out!

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