Listen Live
97.9 The Beat Featured Video
CLOSE
HBO's Post Emmy Awards Reception - Arrivals

Source: Michael Tran / Getty

Weeks before she will be honored at Essence’s Black Women in Hollywood Luncheon, Tessa Thompson has even more good news.

She’s been tapped to play the legendary and infamous international jewel thief Doris Payne.

Follow The Beat On Twitter:

The Thor actress shared her good news on Twitter on Wednesday,

“After chasing Doris and her story for years— and then keeping this secret for awhile— I’m screaming that this dream is coming true. She is a deeply fascinating woman. So pleased to bring this story to the screen with CodeBlack & Lionsgate. Beyond grateful.”

According to Variety, the film, which is being conceived as “a high-concept action-drama in the vein of ‘Catch Me if You Can’ and  ‘The Thomas Crown Affair,’” will be made by Codeblack Films and Lionsgate and oversaw by another amazing Black woman Candice Wilson.

We’re just hoping that they also hire a Black female screenwriter and director to set all this #BlackGirlMagic off!

Of course, Tessa’s friends and fans were more than excited:

To refresh your memory, Doris, who is now 87, has a sixty-plus-year career as a career thief with an expertise on high-end jewelry. As Variety noted, she has been arrested multiple times and has admitted to having used 20 aliases, 10 Social Security numbers and nine dates of birth.

As we previously reported, one of her most recent arrests took place last year when she was caught shoplifting at Walmart. Authorities said she attempted to hide items from the store’s pharmacy, electronics and grocery departments worth around $90.

Doris was the subject of the entertaining 2014 documentary, “The Life and Crimes of Doris Payne.”

Take a look at the film’s trailer:

RELATED NEWS:

Tiffany Haddish, Tessa Thompson, Lena Waithe and Danai Gurira Are The 2018 ‘ESSENCE’ Black Women In Hollywood Honorees

GET THE LOOK: Tessa Thompson Shows Ava DuVernay Love With This Cashmere Sweater

Notorious 86-Year-Old International Jewel Thief Doris Payne Arrested Again

Tessa Thompson To Star In Biopic About Infamous Jewelry Thief Doris Payne  was originally published on hellobeautiful.com