Lindsay will play Liz, but not in Canada
Lindsay Lohan will play Elizabeth Taylor in the upcoming made-for-tv biopic Liz & Dick, E! reports, and though the movie shoot was long rumoured to take place in Canada, it seems the true north strong and tax-exempt has lost the production — though it did manage to cost the filmmakers considerably more than a fully loaded Volkswagen Beatle.
“Lindsay Lohan may be the most insured actress that ever walked on a sound stage,” producer Larry Thompson told E!, admitting that he had to move the production of the Lifetime film to L.A. to “minimize some risk.”
If the shoot were taking place across the border, Lohan would have needed a special permit (which is required by Canadian law since the actor is still on probation).
A friend of the actor told TMZ last month that Lohan had received her Canuck working papers. However, a source close to the situation tells Radaronline that it was her more recent legal issues coupled with her previous incidents that led to the costly local conversion.
“The producers recognized that there could be problems stemming from the fact that Lindsay is under investigation for assault, and she is still on informal probation in her necklace theft case,” the source told Radar. “It was just easier to move the shoot to Los Angeles as Lindsay lives there.”
Lohan, for her part, released a statement on Monday stating that she has “always admired and had enormous respect for Elizabeth Taylor.”
“We are thrilled Lindsay will portray beloved Hollywood leg- end Elizabeth Taylor,” Rob Sharenow, executive vice-president of Programming for Lifetime Television added, Radar reports. “She is one of the rare actresses who possesses the talent, beauty and intrigue to capture the spirit of such a provocative icon.”
And, just to be contrarian and extremely litigious about wording, a spokesman for Lifetime Television told Radaronline that the network had never said the shoot would take place in Canada. Technically speaking, this is true — as they let the film’s producer and star do the talking for them.
Regardless, E! Online reports the L.a.-based film is scheduled to air sometime in October, but before Lohan has even set foot on the set, she’s already found her first celebrity hater.
“I don’t think she’s right for the role and I don’t think she’s capable at this point to portray that character. . . . The last thing she did good she was sixteen,” Rosie O’donnell said on the Today Show Tuesday morning.
Just in case Lohan is unable to fulfil her duties come the June 4 production date, producer Thompson says he has a backup plan. “Well, we have more than a Plan B actually,” he told E!