Long rumored for the movie, last month the trades reported that both “The Descendants” star Shailene Woodley and “True Grit” breakout Hailee Steinfeld were in the mix to take the lead in “The Fault In Our Stars.” But it seems it was really Woodley’s to lose all along, and the actress has now landed the part.
Deadline reports that she’s in negotiations for the movie, adding to an already very busy schedule. Based on John Green’s book “The Fault in Our Stars,” and adapted by “(500) Days of Summer” and “The Spectacular Now” (also starring Woodley) writers Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, the story follows Gus and Hazel, two teens stricken with terminal cancer who fall in love. Bring Kleenex. The book was a best seller and this sounds primed to rip at your heartstrings, but let’s just hope it’s better than similarly themed “Restless” by Gus Van Sant, a prime example of how this material could easily be a naseau of quirk.
Josh Boone — the helmer behind the soon-to-be-released “Stuck In Love,” formerly known as “Writers” — will direct, but everyone will have to wait a beat. Woodley just wrapped her role in “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” and shoots YA franchise hopeful “Divergent” next, but it seems the actress is mixing up big budget fare with smaller stories, which is always a smart play for an up-and-comer.