Penn, Ledger in talks for 'Tree'

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 30 (UPI) -- Hollywood actors Heath Ledger and Sean Penn are considering roles in the big-screen drama, "Tree of Life," the Hollywood Reporter said.

"Badlands" and "The New World" director Terrence Malick also is in talks to helm the project.

Penn, who won an Oscar for his portrayal of a grieving father in "Mystic River," previously worked with Malick on "The Thin Red Line."

Ledger, who earned an Oscar nomination for his work in "Brokeback Mountain," is up for the lead role in "Tree," while Penn is pondering a supporting part, the entertainment trade paper said.

Principal photography is slated to begin in March.

The film's plot has been shrouded in secrecy, but an insider described it as a complex drama, the Hollywood Reporter said.

River Road Entertainment, the production company that wants to make the film, previously produced "Brokeback Mountain" and Penn's recent directorial effort, "Into the Wild."