Replacing Meryl Streep, Helen Mirren to Topline 'Last Station'

Helen Mirren, the English actress who earned herself an Academy Award prize for her portrayal of Queen Elizabeth II in "The Queen", has been signed in for the upcoming biopic "The Last Station" to take over another acclaimed actress' role. According to Variety, the 62-year-old actress will be playing Leo Tolstoy's wife Sophia, a role once belonged to Meryl Streep.

By replacing Streep, the "Elizabeth I" star will be joining the other cast that include James McAvoy, Anne-Marie Duff and Paul Giamatti. In the project, she would star opposite Christopher Plummer, who replaced Anthony Hopkins in portraying Tolstoy. The notable actress is expected to join the filming which will begin on April 7.

"Station" is a biopic film about Tolstoy in his tumultuous final year of life and also about his troubled marriage. The film will be directed by Michael Hoffman. The film will see McAvoy stars as Tolstoy's naive private secretary, Giamatti as Chertkov, Tolstoy's trusted follower, and Duff as Tolstoy's daughter Sasha. It will be shot in several German states, including Saxony-Anhalt, Brandenburg and Thuringia, as well as at Russian historical locations.