TV Casting News: Brenda Blethyn and Hillary Swank to co-star in HBO's telepic 'Mary and Martha'

According to Variety, 2-time Academy Award Nominee Brenda Blethyn and two-time Academy Award Winner Hillary Swank are co-starring in a new HBO telepic Mary and Martha.

Oh, and get this, the trio of Working Title Films' Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, and Liza Chasin, the executive producers of Joe Wright's Pride & Prejudice, Atonement, and the upcoming Anna Karenina films (as well Love Actually with its writer/director Richard Curtis) are producing this alongside the director of Salt! This should be awesome with those great talents behind the scenes and in front of the camera along with two of the best actresses in Hollywood.

Here's more info (via Variety) about HBO's Mary and Martha...

Swank, Blethyn in HBO telepic

'Mary and Martha' written by Curtis, with Noyce directing

Hillary Swank and Brenda Blethyn have signed on to star in telepic ''Mary and Martha'' for HBO.
Phillip Noyce (''Salt'') will direct a script written by Richard Curtis (''The Girl in the Cafe''). The film, which is in pre-production, comes from HBO Films, the BBC, NBC Universal and Working Title Television.

''Mary and Martha'' will tell the story of two women who emerge from traumatic family tragedy to forge a unique bond while fighting for the eradication of malaria.

''I've long admired Phillip's work, and we've been wanting to work together for years,'' Swank said. ''When he shared with me this extraordinary story and I read Richard's beautiful script, I was inspired by the creative possibilities of working with them and Working Title to tell this remarkable journey of two women from completely different worlds who collided, then forged an unbreakable friendship full of humor and grace.

''I look forward to working with them and the fantastic Brenda Blethyn on this special film.''
Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Liza Chasin, Juliette Howell, Hilary Bevan Jones and Lucy Richer are exec producing.

Speaking of BB on TV, Brenda Blethyn's 'Vera' records its highest ever audience for ITV recently (via Digital Spy):

Brenda Blethyn drama Vera pulled in its best ever audience of 6.1m last night (Sunday, May 20) for its series two finale.

The Tyneside detective show, which began last month with 4.8m, won its slot with 5.68m (24.1%) between 8pm and 10pm, adding 368k on ITV1 +1.

This comes despite its run being interrupted by a Britain's Got Talent semi-final and last week's Afghanistan-themed episode being pulled following the death of two British servicemen.