Sandra Bullock to Play Peyton Place Writer in Biopic  3/11/06

Speed star Sandra Bullock has signed on to play tragic author Grace Metalious in a new biopic.

Bullock will also co-produce the movie, which will be penned by Jake Gyllenhaal's screenwriter mother Naomi Foner.

Metalious wrote scandalous novel Peyton Place 50 years ago, and never recovered from the critical backlash.

Despite becoming one of the best-selling novels in history, the saucy read was banned in several cities.

After writing the tome, the author's marriage collapsed and she received death threats from outraged readers.

Metalious became a heavy drinker and died of cirrhosis in 1964, at the age of 39.