Brie Larson To Star As First Female U.S. Presidential Candidate

Actress Brie Larson has signed on to star as the first female U.S. presidential candidate in a new movie.

The Oscar-winning Room star will also serve as a producer on Victoria Woodhull. Ben Kopit is writing the script for the film, but is unclear when it will start shooting or premiere.

Woodhull ran for U.S. President in 1872, more than 40 years before women earned the right to vote in the country in 1920. She lost her bid for the presidency, but she is credited with paving the way for the women's suffrage (right to vote) movement in America.

The upcoming role is a natural fit for the 27-year-old, who has been a vocal supporter of women's rights and other societal issues in the U.S. Earlier this month (Mar17), she spoke about the need for more female filmmakers in Hollywood.

"I think that we're more than just being strong or just being mothering (in film roles). I think there's a whole lot that goes on in between for us to explore," she told the BBC. "I think the best place to start would be more female film directors - more female filmmakers of every different type of race - and we need to get out of these binary ways of thinking."

Larson herself has taken a more active role behind the camera lately and is set to make her producing and directorial debut with Unicorn Store, about a woman who moves back home to live with her parents. Unicorn Store was originally slated to star Rebel Wilson with director Miguel Arteta taking charge of the project, but scheduling issues for both torpedoed their plans. It was then brought to Brie after she won the Best Actress Academy Award last year (16). The film is currently in production.