Andrews reads 'Diaries' for her return to Disney

By: Greg Hernandez and Zorianna Kit

Julie Andrews is in negotiations to star in Disney's "The Princess Diaries" for director Garry Marshall, marking her return to the studio that made 1964's "Mary Poppins," for which she won an Oscar for best actress.

"Princess" is slated to start production next month with Andrews in the role of Clarisse Renaldo, the stern royal grandmother to a teenager (Anne Hathaway) who is stunned to learn that her father is the prince of Genovia and she is the sole heir to the throne.

The girl must decide on her 16th birthday whether she will live as a princess and move to Genovia or remain in Manhattan, where she lives with her artist mom. Andrews' character tries to convince her granddaughter to assume the royal title and tutors her on how to be a princess. Heather Matarazzo plays the girl's best friend.

Gina Wendkos ("Coyote Ugly") adapted the script from Meg Cabot's upcoming novel of the same name. The film is being produced by singer-actress Whitney Houston, through her Brownhouse Prods., and Marshall's producing partner, Mario Iscovich. It marks Andrews' first role for a major studio in more than a decade.

Andrews' most recent studio film was Columbia Pictures' 1986 release "That's Life!" which was directed by her husband, Blake Edwards. She has since appeared in several independent features, most recently "Relative Values," released this summer in the United Kingdom.

Andrews is repped by WMA and managed by Steve Sauer of Media Four.

ANDREWS ASCENDING TO 'PRINCESS' THRONE
Pic penned by 'Coyote' scribe Wendkos, lensing set to begin Sept. 13
Andrews

By CHARLES LYONS

Julie Andrews is in final negotiations to play the co-lead in the Walt Disney Co.'s "The Princess Diaries," to be helmed by Garry Marshall.

Andrews joins Anne Hathaway, who came aboard the project last month. Lensing is slated to begin Sept. 13 in San Francisco, the film's principal location.

The "Diaries" script, penned by Gina Wendkos ("Coyote Ugly") and based on a Meg Cabot novel, centers on a rebellious 16-year-old Angeleno (Hathaway) who is informed that she is actually the princess of a Monaco-like European nation, Genovia. Andrews will play the girl's grandmother, who surprises her with the news and trains her to become queen.

"Diaries" producers are Whitney Houston and Debra Chase of Brownhouse Prods., and Mario Iscovich, Marshall's producing partner.

Buena Vista Motion Picture Group prexy Nina Jacobson is supervising "Diaries" for the studio along with veep Karen Glass and director of development Doug Short.

Andrews is repped by the William Morris Agency, Hathaway by WMA and manager Suzan Bymel at Talent Entertainment Group. Marshall is repped by CAA.


THE PRINCESS DIARIES (Brownhouse Prods./BV) 9/13. Julie Andrews, Anne Hathaway PROD, Whitney Houston, Debra Martin Chase, Mario Iscovich; DIR, Garry Marshall; SCR, Gina Wendkos; DISTRIB, BV.