Portman to star in 'Your Highness'

Actress joins McBride, Franco in Universal comedy

By MICHAEL FLEMING

Portman

McBride

Natalie Portman will star with Danny McBride and James Franco in “Your Highness,” a Universal Pictures comedy that begins production in July in Ireland. David Gordon Green (“Pineapple Express”) is directing.

Scott Stuber produces through his U-based banner.

McBride, who wrote the script with Ben Best, plays a lazy, arrogant prince who, with his brother (Franco), must complete a quest to save the kingdom and his brother’s fiancee. Portman will play a warrior princess with whom the lazy prince falls in love.

McBride and Best set up the project with U and Stuber last year. Jon Mone and Andy Davis are exec producers.

Portman is currently starring with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Rainn Wilson in the Spencer Susser-directed “Hesher,” which marks Portman’s feature debut as a producer under her banner, Handsomecharlie Films.

She will next be seen in the Jim Sheridan-directed “Brothers,” with Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal. That pic is due out in December. Portman just wrapped the Don Roos-directed “Love and Other Impossible Pursuits.”

McBride and Best are exec producers and co-stars on the raunchy HBO comedy “Eastbound and Down,” and they also co-wrote 2006 feature “The Foot Fist Way” with helmer Jody Hill.

Portman is repped by CAA and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.