David Chase has set Bella Heathcote for the female lead of Twylight Zones , the film Chase wrote and is directing for Paramount as his first major project after The Sopranos . She joins John Magaro, Will Brill and Jack Huston . Chase is producing with Mark Johnson and production starts February. Set in the 1960s, the story involves three high school friends who form a band inspired by the classic rock influences like the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, The Beatles and Jimi Hendrix. The film follows their rise and the pitfalls of fame.

Heathcote is currently starring alongside Justin Timberlake, Amanda Seyfried, Cillian Murphy, Alex Pettyfer and Olivia Wilde in the Andrew Niccol-directed Now . She’ll also play a supporting role in Cogan’s Trade , the Andrew Dominik-directed adaptation of the George V. Higgins novel that will star Brad Pitt. Heathcote hails from Australia, where she recently received a scholarship named for the late Heath Ledger and bestowed by the Australian Film Industry for her performance in the Aussie war epic Beneath Hill 60 . The award is meant to give young actors the chance to travel to the US to train and take acting jobs. She’s making the most of the opportunity since receiving the honor seven months ago. She has signed with WME and Jackson/Medavoy, while still repped by JM Agency in Australia.