ANNE HATHAWAY - HATHAWAY TO STAR AS JANE AUSTEN

Hollywood beauty ANNE HATHAWAY has beaten off competition from British actresses to star as JANE AUSTEN in a forthcoming film about the author's early life.

The 24-year-old PRINCESS DIARIES actress is in the final stage of negotiations with producers - beating homegrown stars KEIRA KNIGHTLY and KATE WINSLET to the coveted role.

The movie - titled BECOMING JANE - follows a young Austen on her own love story, as she falls for an Irish lawyer who inspires her to start her famous writing career.

A movie insider says, "The producers think Anne is a very classy actress and she has an excellent box office pedigree.

"She commands a large following among young girls who will be the prime audience, but a lot of British actresses and their agents feels very put out not to get a look in."