Oprah Winfrey to Star in Lee Daniels’ ‘Terms of Endearment’ Remake

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Paramount/Getty

Oprah Winfrey is attached to star in a Lee Daniels-directed remake of the 1983 Best Picture winner Terms of Endearment, according to a report.

The Wrap reports that Empire creator Daniels is in talks to direct the film, which is reportedly in development at Paramount.

The original Terms of Endearment — based on Larry McMurtry’s 1975 novel of the same name — centered on Aurora Greenway’s (Shirley MacLaine) often tempestuous relationship with her daughter Emma (Debra Winger) and her relationship with retired astronaut-next-door Garrett Breedlove (Jack Nicholson).

The film was nominated for 11 Academy Awards in 1984 and won five, including Best Actress for MacLaine, Best Supporting Actor for Nicholson and Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Director for James L. Brooks, who made his directorial debut with the film. Winger and actor John Lithgow also received nominations for their roles.

Winfrey is currently at work filming another literary adaptation, A Wrinkle in Time, for director Ava DuVernay.

Daniels previously worked with Winfrey on the 2013 film The Butler, about the life of longtime White House butler Cecil Gaines.

Daniels, who earned two Oscar nominations for his 2009 film Precious, is currently at work producing the Fox television show Star, along with his hip-hop soap opera Empire.

No other casting information for the updated Terms of Endearment was available at press time.

 

Follow Daniel Nussbaum on Twitter: @dznussbaum

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