Oscar nominee Ellen Page is slated to star in the upcoming film Freeheld, a highly anticipated feature based on the 2007 short documentary of the same name, according to Deadline.  

The doc, directed by filmmaker Cynthia Wade, tells the story of Lieutenant Laurel Hester, who, after being diagnosed with terminal cancer, attempted to leave her pension benefits to her partner, Stacie Andree, which led to a landmark gay rights case. 

 The 25-year-old Page will play Andree in the full-length feature.  “[Page] saw the documentary and was moved by the story,” Cynthia Wade told AfterEllen in 2010.  “The fact that she is so strongly attached to this film is a testament to how special Laurel Hester was, and how important Laurel and Stacie’s story is to this country’s slow move towards true equality.”

The film will be financed and produced by Incognito Pictures, and Ron Nyswaner, who was nominated for an Academy Award for penning the screenplay for Philadelphia, wrote the script.

Image via Getty. 

Follow SheWired on Facebook. 

Follow SheWired on Twitter.