Julia Roberts, Mark Ruffalo to star in HBO adaptation of ‘The Normal Heart’

PASADENA, Calif. – Julia Roberts and Mark Ruffalo will star in an HBO movie adaptation of “The Normal Heart,” the play about the onset of the AIDS crisis in New York City in the early 1980s.

HBO said Friday that Ryan Murphy, maker of “Eat Pray Love” and the TV show “Glee,” will direct the film.

Larry Kramer’s play about the men who joined him to help form the Gay Men’s Health Crisis debuted in 1985 and was brought to Broadway again in 2011, winning a Tony Award for best revival.

Roberts will portray Dr. Emma Brookner, a paraplegic doctor who treated several of the earliest AIDS victims. Ruffalo plays Ned Weeks, who sought answers when he saw the disease begin to kill many gay people he knew.

News from © The Associated Press, . All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Join the Conversation!

Want to share your thoughts, add context, or connect with others in your community?

Create a free account

The Associated Press

The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news in all formats and the essential provider of the technology and services vital to the news business. More than half the world’s population sees AP journalism every day.

Related Articles