Crouching Tiger actress to star as Geisha girl

The book became a sensation around the world when it was first published in 1997. The story chronicles a young girl's rise from poverty in a Japanese fishing village to life in high society.

The lead role of Sayuri will go to Zhang Ziyi, the Chinese actress who starred in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and appeared in the comedy Rush Hour 2, her publicist said Thursday.

Zhang, 25, has been working to perfect her English for several years. Geisha will be directed by Rob Marshall, the Oscar-nominated director of Chicago.

Source: BBC online