Lord of the Rings director Peter Jackson's lastest movie 'The Lovely Bones' has had a change of leading actor on the eve of filming.
Canadian actor Ryan Gosling has been replaced by Mark Wahlberg after what Variety magazine termed "creative differences" led to Gosling's departure.
The Los Angeles Times reported Jackson as being quite surprised Gosling had showed up to start work on the film looking like he'd donned a fat suit.
According to sources, the 26-year-old Gosling had apparently told the director he was going to gain weight to age himself up to play the part of a grieving father, but Jackson was still expecting some movie star allure - not paunch and a beard, the newspaper reported.
The film, based on the popular book by Alice Sebold, is about a 14-year-old girl, Susie Salmon, who is murdered by a neighbour and watches how the tragedy affects her family from heaven.
The cast includes Rachel Weisz as her mother, and Susan Sarandon as her grandmother.
Wahlberg - nominated for the best supporting actor Oscar for his role in 'The Departed' - recently completed shooting M Night Shyamalan's new movie 'The Happening' and stars opposite Joaquin Phoenix in an upcoming thriller 'We Own The Night'.
-NZPA