Jami Gertz ("Twister," "Ally McBeal") has been tapped to portray late comic legend Gilda Radner, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Gertz won the lead in ABC's adaptation of Radner's autobiography "It's Always Something," after she gave a "breathtaking reading" for the part.

"She nailed both the real comedic bits in the script and the dramatic part and was really remarkable," ABC's Susan Lyne told The Hollywood Reporter.

"Those kinds of biopics can be dreadful as often as they can be great, or more often, unless you find someone that can really can pull it off, and we have enormous confidence that she can do this."

Radner died of ovarian cancer in 1989 at 42. She made her reputation as one of the inaugural members of "Saturday Night Live's" Not Ready For Prime Time Players, appearing on the show between 1975 and 1980.

Radner's widow, actor Gene Wilder, is serving as a consultant on the project. The results are expected to air during the May 2002 sweeps period.


More Artists