A couple of months ago after a screening of The Hateful Eight, my buddy Kevin McCarthy asked me what was Jennifer Jason Leigh's last big role. While she's been a favorite actress of mine for years (Mrs. Parker and the Vicious Circle is my shit), I couldn't think of one immediately. Sure, she's been around and had a number of supporting roles or lead turns in smaller indies, but it feels like right now she's bigger than ever, and fortunately bigger roles are coming her way.
Leigh has entered early talks to join Annihilation, the next film from Ex Machina director, Alex Garland. She would be co-starring alongside a terrific cast that includes Natalie Portman, Tessa Thompson, and Gina Rodriguez in the story of four female explorers on a mission to the mysterious Area X, a place that has proven deadly to all who ventured there before. The film is based on the first book in Jeff VanderMeer's trilogy, so it's possible this could lead to a franchise of some kind.
Now that the chief quartet has been cast filming on Annihilation should begin soon. Leigh can be heard right now in Charlie Kaufman's wonderful stop-motion film, Anomalisa.[TheWrap]
