The case of who’ll headline the U.S. reboot of the English-accented Prime Suspect is almost closed.
Sources confirm that Maria Bello (Law & Order: SVU) is in final negotiations to star as Det. Jane Tennison in the NBC version. Helen Mirren played the no-nonsense sleuth to massive acclaim (and a boatload of Emmys) in the U.K. original, so it goes without saying that Bello has extra-large shoes to fill.
Suspect has been in what Hollywood likes to call “development hell” for much of the past year. Originally slated as a 2010 midseason replacement series, the project was put on ice due, in part, to difficulties securing a leading lady. A new producing team led by Friday Night Lights‘ Peter Berg stepped in this fall and revived the pilot.
Thoughts? Does Bello have the chops to pull off Tennison?
