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Revolution Studios has begun production on "Mona Lisa Smile," a drama directed by Mike Newell and starring Academy Award-winning actress Julia Roberts, it was announced by Revolution Studios' New York-based partner Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas. The film is a Shoelace Production for Revolution Studios, and is scheduled for release on November 21, 2003 by Sony Pictures Releasing under the Columbia Pictures banner.

"Mona Lisa Smile" tells the story of Katherine Watson (Julia Roberts), a recent UCLA graduate hired to teach art history at the prestigious all-female Wellesley College in 1953. Determined to confront the outdated mores of society and the institution that embraces them, Katherine inspires her traditional students, including Betty, played by Kirsten Dunst ("Spider Man," "Virgin Suicides"), and Joan, played by Julia Stiles ("Ten Things I Hate About You," "Save the Last Dance") to challenge the lives they are expected to lead. Maggie Gyllenhaal ("Secretary") portrays Giselle, another of Katherine's students, while Academy Award winner Marcia Gay Harden ("Pollock") plays Nancy, a fellow teacher at Wellesley. Dominic West (HBO's "The Wire"), Topher Grace (Fox-TV's "That 70s Show") and Ginnifer Goodwin (NBC-TV's "Ed") round out the supporting cast.

"Julia and I have a long history together and I am thrilled that she has chosen 'Mona Lisa Smile' as her first starring role since 'Erin Brockovich,'" said Joe Roth, founder of Revolution Studios. "With the talents of Julia and Mike Newell, a superb script, and a magnificent supporting cast, this promises to be a moving and entertaining film."

"I worked with Julia Roberts as her representative for over fifteen years," said producer Elaine Goldsmith-Thomas. "'Mona Lisa Smile' represents not only our first film together as producers, but also embodies the nature of our relationship -- teacher and student exchanging roles and philosophies."

Julia Roberts won the Best Actress Academy Award and Golden Globe Award for her performance in "Erin Brockovich," directed by Steven Soderbergh. After first coming to the attention of movie audiences in "Mystic Pizza," she received her first Academy Award nomination for her supporting role in "Steel Magnolias." Roberts was again honored with an Oscar nomination for "Pretty Woman," the top-grossing film of 1990, in which she starred opposite Richard Gere. Among her many credits are starring roles in "The Pelican Brief," "My Best Friend's Wedding," "Notting Hill," "Ocean's Eleven," "America's Sweethearts," "Stepmom," "Conspiracy Theory," "The Mexican," "Sleeping with the Enemy" and "Everyone Says I Love You." Collectively, Roberts' films have grossed more than two and one-half billion dollars worldwide.

Kirsten Dunst most recently starred in Columbia Pictures' box office smash "Spider-Man," opposite Tobey Maguire. Nominated for a Golden Globe for her role in "Interview with the Vampire," for which she also earned the Best Supporting Newcomer Blockbuster Video Award and an MTV Award for "Best Breakthrough Artist," Dunst went on to star in such films as "Bring it On," "Crazy/Beautiful" and "The Virgin Suicides." Her other feature credits include "Little Women," "Drop Dead Gorgeous," "Mother Night" and "Wag the Dog."

Julia Stiles starred in the hit film "Save the Last Dance," for which she was nominated for two MTV Movie Awards. She also starred in Ethan Hawke's film adaptation of "Hamlet," Tim Blake Nelson's "O," and the acclaimed comedy hit "Ten Things I Hate About You," for which she earned an MTV Movie Award for Best Female Breakthrough Performance and the Chicago Film Critics Award for Most Promising Actress. Her other credits include "The Business of Strangers," "State and Main," "Wicked," "Down to You," "The Devil's Own" and NBC-TV's "The Sixties." She has also appeared extensively on the stage, and starred this past summer in the New York Shakespeare Festival's production of "Twelfth Night" in Central Park.

Mike Newell most recently directed "Pushing Tin" starring John Cusack and Billy Bob Thornton, and "Donnie Brasco" starring Al Pacino and Johnny Depp, which was Oscar-nominated for Best Adapted Screenplay. Newell also directed the box office hit "Four Weddings and a Funeral" starring Hugh Grant and Andie MacDowell, which was honored with two Academy Award nominations including Best Picture. Newell's "Enchanted April" received three Academy Award nominations, and won Golden Globe Awards for its stars Miranda Richardson and Joan Plowright. Among Newell's many other credits as director are "Into the West" starring Gabriel Byrne and Ellen Barkin, "The Good Father" with Anthony Hopkins, "Dance With a Stranger" with Miranda Richardson, Rupert Everett, and Ian Holm, and "An Awfully Big Adventure" with Hugh Grant and Alan Rickman.

SOURCE: Revolution Studios