Posted by | Ray Cornelius
She may not have won an Oscar last night for her part in the indie film Beasts of the Southern Wild. However, 9-year-old Quvenzhane Wallis has landed the coveted role of ‘Annie’ in the new hip hop version of the Broadway classic.
Sony pictures announced the big news on Sunday that Wallis will indeed play Annie in a contemporized adaptation of the musical and the “Little Orphan Annie” comic strip.
As previously reported, the role was originally slated for Will and Jada Pinkett-Smith’s daughter, Willow. However, the pre-teen decided she wanted out of the project which left her parents and Jay-Z, one of the other film’s producers, no choice but to find another child star. Wallis is a natural fit and has a big enough name to carry the film, considering she is now part of entertainment history as the “youngest Oscar-nominated actor” ever. The new film will be directed by Will Gluck.
Look for “Annie” to hit theaters during the 2014 holiday season.