Bette Midler Set To Join Julie Taymor’s Gloria Steinem Movie; Steinem & Taymor Check In For Buzzy AFM Buyers Session

EXCLUSIVE: Bette Midler is the latest Hollywood star set to join Julie Taymor’s Gloria Steinem biopic The Glorias: A Life On The Road.

Director Taymor revealed the attachment yesterday afternoon during a buzzed-about AFM buyer presentation for the movie, which Steinem herself video-called in for from New York. Many of the key indie and studio buyers were in the room and I hear offers are already being made from major markets.

Oscar-winner Julianne Moore will play feminist icon Steinem with fellow-Oscar winner Alicia Vikander in talks to play the activist between the ages of 20-40. The movie, based on Steinem’s memoir, will follow her journey to become a crusader for equal rights and her groundbreaking work as a journalist and campaigner. The Ms. magazine founder’s story has added resonance in this Time’s Up and #MeToo era. The production is in discussions with a host of Hollywood A-Listers to join the project.

Two-time Oscar nominee and multi-Grammy winner Midler is in talks to portray activist, lawyer and politician Bella Abzug, who along with fellow feminists such as Steinem, Shirley Chisholm and Betty Friedan founded the National Women’s Political Caucus. She went on to become a U.S. Representative. This would be a supporting role.

FilmNation reps international sales. Endeavor handles U.S. Taymor, director of Broadway hit The Lion King and Salma Hayek-starrer Frida, wrote the script with playwright Sarah Ruhl. Page Fifty-Four Pictures’ Alex Saks is producing with Taymor and Lynn Hendee. Steinem is executive producing alongside Amy Richards. Principal photography is due to begin in January in Savannah, Georgia.

This is one of two new FilmNation movies grabbing buyer attention. George Miller’s Three Thousand Years Of Longing is also garnering strong interest from acquisitions execs I’ve spoken to.

Midler recently lent her voice to MGM’s Addams Family movie with Charlize Theron, Chloë Grace Moretz and Allison Janney. She also starred in Trudie Styler’s 2017 pic Freak Show. She is repped by CAA and Grubman Shire Meiselas & Sacks, P.C.