Romanian actress Alexandra Maria Lara (in picture) will play one of the leading characters in the new film directed by Ron Howard, 'Rush', centered on the rivalry between Formula 1 drivers James Hunt and Nikki Lauda, according to Variety. Lara will play alongside Daniel Bruhl (from Inglorious Basterds) and Chris Hemsworth (from Thor).

This is not the first role in an international movie for the Romanian actress. Lara, 32, has previously played in movies like The Reader", "Der Untergang", "Miracle at St. Anna" and "Youth Without Youth".

Ron Howard is an American actor, Academy Award-winning director and producer. He won the Oscar for Best Director in 2001 for A Beautiful Mind. He has also directed and produced The Missing, Cinderella Man, The Da Vinci Code and Frost/Nixon, among others. Original story here.

Lara, born in Romania under the name Platareanu, fled to Germany when she was four years old and started her acting career in 1989. More about Alexandra Maria Lara here.

editor@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Youth without Youth)