Alfred Molina to make directorial debut with adaptation of wife's novel

Alfred Molina is to make his directorial debut with an adaptation of a novel written by his wife Jill Gascoine.

Actress and writer Gascoine released Lilian in 1995, with the book telling the story of Jessica Wooldridge, a cancer survivor who receives an invitation to visit California for a few weeks. She decides to leave her husband, and during the vacation, falls in love with another woman.

Now, Molina has confirmed in an interview with Deadline that he is working on the project and will also serve as an executive producer.

"Lilian is such a beautiful story about a woman getting on in years who finds the spark of love and passion again after losing hope and a clear idea of her purpose," he told the film publication. "I'm going to focus all of my energy and passion into bringing this story to life with a wonderful group of artists that I know and trust."

Over the course of his career, Molina has appeared in movies such as Boogie Nights, Chocolat, Frida, and Spider-Man 2, and produced 2016 TV movie Sister Cities and 2018's Saint Judy.

While he was always interested in directing, he never came across a script that really grabbed his attention.

"I've always known that I eventually wanted to direct," the 66-year-old commented. "When I was young, I was moved by the films of Carol Reed. That's what started this journey in fact. That was the first time I realised there was a guiding hand behind the camera. The idea of being that guiding hand has always interested me.

"When I read the novel Lilian years ago it touched me deeply. I started seeing the film and feeling the characters' journeys, and I knew that I wanted to direct this film."

Production on the movie is set to begin in Los Angeles later in the year. Casting details and a potential release date have not been announced.