David O. Russell Testing Actresses for ‘Fighter’ Follow-Up: Elizabeth Banks; Kirsten Dunst; Blake Lively, More (Exclusive)

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David O. Russell

The next few days may very well determine which actress gets the golden ticket to star in The Silver Linings Playbook, director David O Russell’s follow-up to his Oscar-winning comeback film, The Fighter.

The Weinstein Co. movie again reteams Russell with his Fighter star Mark Wahlberg in the story of a man who suffers from a mental collapse and is released from a health facility determined to find the silver linings in his life.

The hot Hollywood role of the moment is that of a depressed woman who, when her husband dies, goes on a sexual spree, even at the cost of her job. She befriends the man and becomes his love interest.

According to insiders, Russell is intensely screen-testing the following in-demand actresses in Los Angeles starting today and going into the weekend: Elizabeth Banks, Kirsten Dunst, Blake Lively, Rooney Mara, Rachel McAdams, Andrea Riseborough and Olivia Wilde.

Sources also say Jennifer Lawrence may be in the running as well but that is unclear.

Russell is eyeing an August start date.

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