Meryl Streep Is Up for Some "Dirty Tricks"

by | August 8, 2005 | Comments

Variety reports that "Nip/Tuck" creator Ryan Murphy will write and direct an adaptation of John Jeter’s play "Dirty Tricks," with Meryl Streep starring as Martha Mitchell, the whistle-blowing wife of Nixon chief of staff John Mitchell. And it certainly seems like Mr. Murphy is building himself quite the ensemble for this project.

In addition to Ms. Streep, "Dirty Tricks" will also star Annette Bening as White House correspondent Helen Thomas, Gwyneth Paltrow as the wife of John Dean, and Jill Clayburgh as Pat Nixon.

Murphy was so impressed by Mr. Jeter’s play that he used his own wallet to snag the movie rights from the author: "John loved my idea for the movie, the focus on a period in the country when both feminism and political corruption exploded in Washington."