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The actress actively lobbied for the role of heroine Catherine Earnshaw in the adaptation of Emily Bronte's 1847 novel after director John Maybury originally said he wanted to cast an English star.
He and producers Ecosse Films and HanWay gave Portman the part and agreed to her request for casting approval for central character Heathcliff, currently tipped for Michael Fassbender (Hex).
An insider told the Daily Mail: "It's fair to say we were seduced by her and we should have been on our guard."
The film is scheduled to begin shooting in autumn.
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