Taylor Swift has won seven Grammys, has a terrific voice, and (so I'm told) gives an impressive performance on stage. As an actress we can only really judge her on rom-com hodge podge Valentine's Day, which didn't call for her to do all that much. On the other hand, Katie Holmes' film career began strong with The Ice Storm then petered out as she got older, with her last starring role in Adam Sandler's Jack & Jill earning her a Razzie award win. Bravo. Basically, both actresses could use a big screen hit, and they'll have a pretty good shot by joining Meryl Streep and Jeff Bridges in The Giver.
Directed by Philip Noyce, the film is based on Lois Lowry's novel set in an antiseptic utopian society where free will and diversity has been replaced by "sameness". Bridges plays a Giver, a keeper of memories who must past knowledge of the past to a Receiver, played by Brenton Thwaites. Meryl Streep is the villainous chief elder, while Holmes will play Thwaites' mother who dutifully follows the society's rules. It's yet to be revealed exactly what role Swift will be taking on.
Also starring Alexander Skarsgard, The Giver opens August 15th 2014. [THR]
