Ryan Murphy to direct Matt Bomer in HBO's 'The Normal Heart'

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Ryan Murphy to direct Julia Roberts, Matt Bomer in HBO's 'The Normal Heart'

January 4, 2013 By: Lori Melton

"American Horror Story" co-creator Ryan Murphy will direct Julia Roberts in "The Normal Heart" for HBO.
Credits: Robin Marchant Getty Images

“American Horror Story” co-creator Ryan Murphy is set to direct Julia Roberts, Mark Ruffalo, Matt Bomer (“White Collar”), Alec Baldwin (“30 Rock”), and Jim Parsons ("The Big Bang Theory") in an HBO film adaptation of Larry Kramer’s play, “The Normal Heart,” according to an “EW” report posted earlier today, Jan. 4.

The film adaptation will be penned by playwright Larry Kramer and is produced by Ryan Murphy and Brad Pitt. Roberts’ husband, Daniel Moder, is slated for cinematography.

The Tony Award winning play premiered in 1985 and was revived to run off-Broadway in 2011. The revival starred one of Murphy’s lead cast members from “The New Normal,” Ellen Barkin, along with Luke Macfarlane (“Brothers and Sisters”) and Jim Parsons.

"The Normal Heart" synopsis reads as follows on the play’s official website:

“The story of a city in denial, 'The Normal Heart' unfolds like a real-life political thriller—as a tight-knit group of friends refuses to let doctors, politicians and the press bury the truth of an unspoken epidemic behind a wall of silence.”

The film examines the onset of the HIV-AIDS crisis in New York City in the early 80s and Roberts will play paraplegic physician Dr. Emma Brookner who treats some of the earliest victims.

Ruffalo will play Ned Weeks, a gay activist who tries to raise awareness of the unknown disease that seems to be largely killing off gay men in New York. Bomer will play “NY Times” reporter, Felix Turner, who becomes Ned’s boyfriend and contracts the disease. Baldwin will play Ben Weeks, Ned’s homophobic brother who is also a lawyer. Parsons will portray his Broadway role, Tommy Boatwright, in the film.

Bomer has guested on Murphy's hit series "Glee" and is slated to appear in an upcoming episode of "The New Normal."

Murphy previously directed Julia Roberts in the 2010 film adaptation of Elizabeth Gilbert’s book, “Eat, Pray, Love.” Murphy and his “American Horror Story: Asylum” co-executive producer/writer Jennifer Salt also penned the screenplay for which Gilbert shares writing credit.

Roberts' niece, actress Emma Roberts, is reportedly dating Murphy's "American Horror Story" star Evan Peters (Kit Walker/Tate Langdon).

“The Normal Heart” film will air on HBO in 2014.

“American Horror Story: Asylum” airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. EST on FX Network.