Gay-Directed Linda Lovelace Biopic Gets All-Star Cast

 Demi Moore will portray feminist icon Gloria Steinem in the star-studded film Lovelace, a biography of Deep Throat performer Linda Lovelace to be directed by out filmmakers Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman.

Moore joins previously announced cast member Amanda Seyfried, who will star as the title character, who gained notoriety in 1972 with the release of the hard-core film, one of the first to feature an actual plot and to receive a wide theatrical release. Documentarians Epstein and Friedman, who won an Academy Award in 1985 for The Times of Harvey Milk and previously codirected Howl, the narrative biography of Beat poet Allen Ginsberg, have had no trouble assembling a cast of marquee names. James Franco, their Howl star, is expected to sign on for a cameo in Lovelace as Hugh Hefner. Peter Sarsgaard will portray Lovelace’s husband, Chuck Traynor, while Sharon Stone has been cast as Lovelace’s mother and Adam Brody as Deep Throat costar Harry Reems. Others added to the cast include Eric Roberts, Bobby Cannavale, Chris Noth, and Juno Temple.

While it isn’t yet known how much of the Lovelace’s life will be covered in the Epstein-Friedman film, it’s certainly provocative material. Lovelace, born Linda Boreman, later denounced her career in adult films, saying she’d been forced into the work by Traynor, and eventually became a significant antipornography activist. A competing film titled Inferno about the same subject, with actress Malin Akerman, who replaced Lindsay Lohan, now attached, is also expected to be shot this year.