Julia Roberts - Julia Roberts Joins The Normal Heart

Julia Roberts has joined the cast of Ryan Murphy's 'The Normal Heart'.

The Oscar-winning actress is being joined by Alec Baldwin, Matt Bomer and Jim Parsons in the movie, which chronicles the rise of the HIV/AIDS crisis in New York in the 1980s.

Larry Kramer has written the script for the movie, which is being adapted from the theatre show of the same name.

Mark Ruffalo was already signed up to take the of Ned Weeks in the movie, which Julia will play wheel-chair bound doctor Emma Brookner, a role for which Ellen Barkin won a Tony Award.

Alec Baldwin will portray Mark's character's brother, a lawyer who is struggling to deal with his sibling's sexuality.

It will be the second time Ryan and Julia have worked together following the success of 'Eat Pray Love'.

Julia has had a quiet couple of years in cinema, most recently having been seen in 'Larry Crowne' alongside Tom Hanks, but she will next be seen as the Evil Queen in 'Mirror Mirror'.