The Handmaid's Tale star lands next movie role

The Handmaid's Tale actress Ann Dowd has found her next movie role.

Deadline reports that the Emmy Award–winner is shooting an adaptation of Sigrid Nunez's novel The Friend in New York, directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel of What Maisie Knew fame.

Naomi Watts, who plays real-life socialite Babe Paley in Feud: Capote vs. The Swans, will co-star alongside Bill Murray (Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire), Constance Wu (The Terminal List), Sarah Pidgeon (Tiny Beautiful Things), Noma Dumezweni (Only Murders in the Building), Owen Teague (Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes) and Felix Solis (The Recruit).

Related: The Handmaid's Tale star Ann Dowd talks role in spinoff series The Testaments

The Friend centres on a New York writer in the aftermath of her lifelong friend's unexpected death. She's forced to deal with his complicated literary legacy, three eccentric exes and a broken-hearted Great Dane named Apollo.

News of Dowd's latest big screen project – her other credits include Hereditary, Philadelphia, Garden State and The Exorcist: Believer – comes after the announcement that The Handmaid's Tale will end with its sixth season, in which she'll reprise her role as Aunt Lydia Clements.

Related: The Handmaid's Tale star Ann Dowd reveals unique filming of movie Mass

"It has been a true honour to tell the story of Margaret Atwood's groundbreaking novel and the chillingly relevant world, and we are thrilled to bring viewers a sixth and final season of The Handmaid's Tale," showrunner Bruce Miller said in a statement.

He continued: "We are grateful to Hulu and MGM for allowing us to tell this story, which unfortunately has remained as relevant as ever throughout its run, and are in awe of our incredible fans for their unwavering support, and without whom we never would have gotten to this point."

The Handmaid's Tale streams on Hulu in the US and both Channel 4 and Prime Video in the UK.

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