ATLANTA — Tessa Thompson will star in an upcoming biopic of international jewel thief and DeKalb County resident Doris Payne, Variety reports.
Payne, 87, has stolen approximately $2 million worth of jewelry and other items over her six-decade career.
She was last arrested in July 2017, after she was accused of stealing $86.22 worth of merchandise from a Walmart in Chamblee. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to time served.
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Payne’s most lucrative alleged heist occurred in the 1970s, when she was accused of stealing a 10-carat diamond ring worth $500,000 in Monte Carlo.
Charges against her were dismissed when police could not find the ring. Payne detailed many of her crimes in a 2013 documentary, “The Life and Crimes of Doris Payne.”
The rights to Payne's life story were purchased by Codeblack Films, a subsidiary of Lionsgate. The film is currently untitled, Variety reported.
Thompson has had roles in “Thor: Ragnarok,” “Creed” and “Selma.” She will play Valkyrie in the upcoming “Avengers: Infinity War,” which was filmed in Atlanta.
After chasing Doris and her story for years— and then keeping this secret for awhile— I’m screaming that this dream is coming true. She is a deeply fascinating woman. So pleased to bring this story to the screen with CodeBlack & Lionsgate. Beyond grateful. https://t.co/GMfigAdwy4
— Tessa Thompson (@TessaThompson_x) February 13, 2018
This article was written by Amanda C.Coyne, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
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