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New Line Casts Tyler as Queen in 'Rings'
Chris Petrikin, Nick Madigan

Liv Tyler has been cast as Queen of the Fairies in New Line Cinema's trilogy "The Lord of the Rings."

Closure of the deal was held up by a scheduling conflict with Robert Altman's "Dr. T. and the Women," in which Tyler will star alongside Helen Hunt and Richard Gere. But a plan has been worked out for Tyler to leave the nine-month "Rings" shoot in New Zealand for a quick three-week stint on "Dr. T." in Texas.

Tyler is currently shooting USA Films' "One Night at McCool's" in Los Angeles, with Michael Douglas, Eric Schaeffer, Reba McEntire and Andrew Silverstein — formerly Andrew Dice Clay.

On "Rings," Tyler will work with Ian McKellen, Elijah Wood and Christopher Lee on the J.R.R. Tolkien fable, which is being helmed by Peter Jackson ("Heavenly Creatures," "The Frighteners"). Lensing of the production, with a budget of at least $130 million, begins this fall.

Tyler, who is repped by CAA, previously starred in "Armageddon," "Stealing Beauty," "Inventing the Abbotts" and this year's "Cookie's Fortune," another Altman film, which is being re-released later this year as an Oscar race entry.