Hailee Steinfeld to star in 'Romeo & Juliet'

Oscar-nominated True Grit actress Hailee Steinfeld is in talks to star in a new version of Romeo & Juliet.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, the 14-year-old is Italian director Carlo Carlie's top choice to play Juliet in the latest adaptation of William Shakespeare's play.

Julian Fellowes (The Tourist) has written the script for Romeo & Juliet and will serve as a producer alongside Pursuit of Happyness director Gabriele Muccino. The $15 million-budgeted project is due to begin shooting later this year.

Previous Romeo & Juliet movies include Franco Zeffirelli's 1968 version, starring Leonard Whiting and Olivia Hussey, and Baz Luhrmann's 1996's reimagining with Leonardo DiCaprio and Claire Danes.

Steinfeld was recently in the running for the coveted lead role in The Hunger Games, but eventually lost out to fellow Oscar nominee Jennifer Lawrence.

She has also been linked to a Sleeping Beauty script and Forgotten, an adaptation of a young adult novel to be produced by Gossip Girl's Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage.