Carla Gugino Will Play ‘Gone With the Wind’s Vivien Leigh in Biopic

Carla Gugino has found her next project, and it will allow the actress to step into the shoes of one of the biggest performers in the history of the industry. According to Variety, the Fall of the House of Usher star has been hired to play Vivien Leigh in an upcoming biopic titled The Florist, directed by Nick Sandow and written by Jayce Bartok. The project will focus on a particular moment from Leigh’s life, back when the star was working in the Broadway production of Ivanov. Throughout her acclaimed career, Leigh struggled with her bipolar disorder, an aspect of her life that will be tackled in the movie.

Leigh is known around the world for her unforgettable performance as Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With the Wind, the timeless classic that follows the character as she falls in love with Ashley Wilkes (Leslie Howard) during a very complicated time in the history of the United States. Her portrayal of Scarlett O’Hara earned Vivien Leigh the Academy Award for Best Actress, an achievement she would accomplish once again when she played Blanche DuBois in A Streetcar Named Desire. Carla Gugino will bring the best of her talents to the upcoming biopic, as the performer adds yet another interesting project to her trajectory.

Gugino has built the last few years of her career by starring in a wide variety of horror television series. In The Haunting of Hill House, the performer reminded the world of what she was capable of when she stepped into the role of Olivia Crain, a troubled mother who saw her mental health damaged after her family moved into the titular home. The series was produced by Mike Flanagan, who worked with Gugino on other projects such as The Haunting of Bly Manor and The Fall of the House of Usher. The actress is also widely recognized for her work in the Spy Kids films, as well as her performance as Silk Spectre in Watchmen.

The Duo Behind the Upcoming Biopic

Exploring such a specific time in Vivien Leigh’s life will prove to be a challenge, but director Nick Sandow is more than ready to tackle the story of The Florist. The filmmaker previously worked on titles such as American Princess and Orange is the New Black, the popular Netflix television series about Piper Chapman’s (Taylor Schilling) experiences in a federal prison. Jayce Bartok, who is in charge of writing the screenplay for The Florist, previously appeared as an actor in Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, and he will base the script for the upcoming movie on a box of love letters written during the time period the plot will be set in. The biopic is set to start filming this summer.

A release date for The Florist hasn’t been announced. Stay tuned to Collider for more updates.