Given that her last attempt at acting halted her then husbands burgeoning directing career, I am slightly pleased that Madonna has decided not to grace the silver screen again for her next film outing, but has instead chosen to step behind the camera and try her hand at directing. The reigning Queen of Pop’s film will depict the scandalous affair between British monarch King Edward VIII and socialite Wallis Simpson that led to his decision to abdicate the throne in 1936 so he could marry the twice-divorced American. Simpson’s story is set to be told parallel with Wally Winthrop’s, a modern-day woman who is obsessed with the Duchess of Windsor and finds herself facing her own similar romantic dilemmas.

The two actresses that Madonna has chosen to play the two women are Vera Farmiga (recent Oscar nominee for Up in the Air) and recently announced Abbie Cornish (who I still can’t believe was snubbed at every awards show this season for Bright Star). Both Farmiga and Cornish, playing Simpson and Winthrop respectively, are exceptional actresses who have the ability to completely absorb themselves into their characters and are ultimately what I think will be the films saving grace. Although I just hope that Madonna doesn’t do to Farmiga and Cornish careers what she very nearly did to ex-husband Guy Ritchie. No other casting announcements have been made, although David Tennant was previously considered to play the king.

[Source: Daily Mail]