Daisy Edgar-Jones lands leading role in the film adaptation of Where the Crawdads Sing

Daisy Edgar-Jones has landed the leading role in the film adaptation of the bestselling book Where the Crawdads Sing.

The Normal People actress, 22, will star as the main character Kya in the movie that is based on the novel by Delia Owens set in America’s Deep South.  

The story follows Kya, a young woman who is abandoned by her parents and left alone to raise herself on a marsh just outside a small town in North Carolina. 

After she becomes a respected author Kya is then accused of murder of her former boyfriend Chase Andrews.   

Legally Blonde’s Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter will produce Where the Crawdads Sing for Sony Pictures via their company, Hello Sunshine. 

The book topped the New York Times’ best-sellers list for 32 weeks in 2019 and 2020 and sold between 8-9 millions copies around the world.  

Olivia Newman, who wrote and directed the Netflix film First Match in 2018 will direct the movie, while Oscar-nominated Lucy Alibar will write the script. 

Taking to her Instagram on Story on Thursday Daisy shared a screen shot of the news with the caption ‘I can’t actually believe this!?’

Her Normal People co-star and close friend Paul Mescal, 24, also shared the exciting announcement on his social media.   

Reese Witherspoon also confirmed the news on her Instagram writing: ‘So excited to have @daisyedgarjones joining this production!’ 

It has not yet been announced when Where the Crawdads Sing will go into production or when it’s scheduled for release. 

Daisy won legions of fans earlier this year for her portrayal of Marianne in the adaption of Sally Rooney’s novel Normal People.

She starred alongside Paul Mescal who played her on-off lover Connell in the BBC series.  

Since the formation of her production company Hello Sunshine in 2016, Reese Witherspoon has become one of the most prolific names in streaming and aims to ‘put women at the center’ of projects.  

Reese currently has shows either airing or in development at almost all of the major streaming services including Netflix, Hulu, Amazon and Apple TV Plus. 

She has also received Emmy nominatiosn for producing The Morning Show and Little Fires Everywhere.