Does it take an Oscar winner to play a character that's already won an Oscar for another actress? No, but it can't hurt. After over half a year of speculation and rumor, Michael Ausiello in Entertainment Weekly has reported HBO's confirmation that Kate Winslet will star in 'Mildred Pierce,' the remake of the 1945 Joan Crawford movie of the same name.

There's a lot to be excited about with this news. For starters, instead of just a two-hour TV movie, HBO is giving the adaptation of James M. Cain's novel time. It'll be a five-hour miniseries which virtually ensures more time to delve into the original story. Then there's Winslet essaying the role. She's such a good actress that it's a certainty she won't do what Joan did with the role. We'll be seeing another Mildred, Winslet's own interpretation of the role.