Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie to join Charlize Theron in Fox News movie
The film focuses on the women who brought down 'toxic male culture' at Fox News.
One of the most anticipated movies of the #MeToo era is the story of the women of Fox News who brought down the toxic male culture at the news network.
Earlier this year, Charlize Theron made headlines when it was announced that she would play former Fox News host Megyn Kelly. Now, ABC News has confirmed that Nicole Kidman and Margot Robbie will also join the cast.
Variety, The Hollywood Reporter and Deadline first reported that Kidman was in talks to play former Fox anchor Gretchen Carlson and that Robbie was in talks to play a fictional associate producer.
Here is what else we have learned about the film so far:
Title
According to Deadline, the film's working title is "Fair and Balanced." But a spokeswoman for film's production company, Annapurna Pictures, told ABC News that the film is still untitled.
Plot
The film is not about Fox News chief Roger Ailes, as some reports have suggested. Instead, the spokeswoman said, "It is a film about the ensemble of women who took on the toxic male culture of Fox News and helped depose its chief architect."
Ailes, who died in 2017, was forced to resign in 2016 after Carlson accused him of sexual harassment in a lawsuit. Other women at Fox News, including Kelly, also said Ailes sexually harassed them during his tenure at the cable news channel.
Besides Ailes, other major characters might include Bill O'Reilly, who left Fox News in 2017 amid misconduct claims including some that ended in settlements, former anchor Greta Van Susteren and media mogul Rupert Murdoch.
Fox News did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The team
Annapurna, the studio behind the critically acclaimed "Zero Dark Thirty," "American Hustle" and "Foxcatcher," is financing and producing the project. Theron is also one of the producers. It's being penned by Charles Randolph, the Oscar-winning writer of "The Big Short." At the helm is director Jay Roach, who is best known for the Austin Powers films and "Meet the Parents." Roach also directed the HBO film "Game Change" about Sarah Palin joining the Republican ticket during the 2008 presidential campaign.
The stars
Theron's role in the film was announced in May by The Hollywood Reporter. Multiple reports say Kidman, who is coming off the success of "Big Little Lies," in which she stars for the second season, will play Carlson. And, according to Deadline, Robbie, who was nominated for an Oscar for her performance as Tonya Harding in "I, Tonya," will play a fictional associate producer named Kayla Pospisil.
