It seems that Hilary Swank has just learned that she will be playing the famous pilot Amelia Earhart.

Amelia Earhart was an well renowned pilot who was a women's rights advocate as well as a author and holder of the Distinguished Flying Cross. She disappeared in 1937 trying to make a circumnavigational flight of the world, despite a massive search she was declared dead.

Page Six have the story through Rope of Silicon that Hilary Swank is set to play the famous flyer and have the rather daft news that she found out she had won the role while she was selling her own celebrity perfume, another one that the world doesn't need but will earn the star plenty.

On the casting front though I don't think you could argue, she seems pretty well suited for the part, a part played by various actresses including Diane Keaton.