Olivia Wilde to make her Broadway debut in play of ‘1984’

NEW YORK – A new stage adaptation of George Orwell’s chilling dystopic novel “1984” will star Olivia Wilde, making her Broadway debut.

Producers Sonia Friedman and Scott Rudin said Monday that the play will also star Tom Sturridge and Tony Award-winner Reed Birney. It will begin performances in May at the Hudson Theatre.

First published in 1949, Orwell’s classic tale of a society run by Big Brother in which facts are distorted and suppressed in a cloud of “newspeak” has topped the Amazon.com bestseller lists. The play version was created by Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan and was nominated for an Olivier Award.

Wilde’s film credits include the Academy Award-winning drama “Her,” the Golden Globe Award-nominated “Rush” and the indie comedy “Drinking Buddies.” She also starred in HBO’s rock ‘n’ roll drama “Vinyl.”