DUSTIN HOFFMAN - HOFFMAN DREAMS OF LIBERACE ROLE

OSCAR-winner DUSTIN HOFFMAN is so desperate to play gay pianist LIBERACE in a new movie - he's prepared to pile on weight for the role.

CARY WOODS, who's producing a biopic about the flamboyant musician, has lined-up the legendary actor for the part - although he's half-expecting Hoffman to change his mind.

Woods says, "Dustin Hoffman really wants to do the job. Dustin says he is prepared to gain like 30 pounds (14 kilograms) to show Liberace as he got fat late in life, but you never know with Dustin because all his career he has a history of being extremely choosy about roles which is why he makes so few movies."

In the event Hoffman backs out of the project, ROBIN WILLIAMS and NICOLAS CAGE are reportedly contenders for the part.