Angelina Jolie is to star as Marilyn Monroe in a new film about the Hollywood bombshell, it has been revealed.

The 35-year-old actress is set to play Monroe in an adaptation of Andrew O'Hagan's The Life And Opinions Of Maf The Dog, And Of His Friend Marilyn Monroe, the author revealed at the Edinburgh Book Festival yesterday. And George Clooney has been lined up to play Monroe's close friend Frank Sinatra, O'Hagan confirmed, adding that production on the film would begin soon.

While Scarlett Johansson and Christina Hendricks had previously been in line for the role, it was eventually decided Jolie would be the best choice to play Monroe in the new film.

O'Hagan's novel tells the story of Monroe's final two years before her death in 1962 through the eyes of her pet Maltese terrier Maf - a gift from My Way singer Sinatra in 1960.

As well as meeting Monroe's friends including former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, Maf also accompanied the star to acting classes and restaurants.

When she received the dog from Sinatra, Monroe decided to call it Mafia - a joke reference to Sinatra, before shortening the name to Maf, or Maf Honey.

In the book, written entirely from Maf's perspective, the canine comments: “She was an artist to her fingertips... a strange and unhappy creature, but at the same she had more comedy to her than anybody I would ever know. More comedy and more art.”

When Monroe died in August 1962 aged 36, Maf was inherited by Sinatra's secretary Gloria Lovell.

It has not yet been revealed who will be voicing Maf in the movie.

Jolie is currently in London promoting new movie Salt, in which she stars as CIA agent Evelyn Salt, and will appear at the premiere in Leicester Square tonight.

Speaking about the possibility of starring in a sequel of the film, which has already proved a box office hit in America, Jolie said: 'I'd love to do a sequel. You never know if you're going to get the chance, if audiences are going to love it.

'But particularly with this character, I think there is so much yet to explore in her life with her - with her family, with coming to terms with who she is in the end, because of the way it's set up, she could be anybody.

“As an actress, and somebody who loves to travel, it would be nice to be able to explore the world with her.”

（相关中文报道）

好莱坞当红女星安吉丽娜-朱莉又将挑战自己演艺生涯的新高度，她将在一部讲述传奇女星玛丽莲-梦露生命最后两年生活的电影中饰演梦露。

这部电影改编自作家安德鲁-奥哈根《小狗玛法和它的朋友玛丽莲梦露的生活》一书，通过一只和梦露亲密接触的马耳他犬玛法的眼睛，讲述了梦露生命最后两年 (1960年-1962年)的生活故事。35岁的朱莉终于得到了与偶像亲密接触的机会，而据奥哈根确认，著名演员乔治克鲁尼将在电影中饰演梦露的密友弗兰 克辛纳特拉。

据美国官方资料披露，梦露与辛纳特拉交往甚密，梦露之死与他有莫大的关联，小狗玛法便是辛纳特拉送给梦露的礼物。在奥哈根的书中，玛法伴随梦露出入酒店等等社交场合，甚至见到了绯闻中的约翰-肯尼迪总统。

剧本借狗狗玛法的口吻谈到了对梦露的看法：“她是一位纯粹的演员，一个特立独行又闷闷不乐的美丽女人；与此同时，她的一生也充满着戏剧性。”

正在伦敦宣传新片《特工邵特》的安吉丽娜-朱莉得知这个喜讯后感到受宠若惊，她称自己非常愿意尝试这一角色，而梦露的神秘和传奇赋予了这一角色极大的可塑性。