US actress Rose McGowan is set to play adult movie legend Linda Lovelace in a new film.

Rose, 35, has signed up to portray Linda - who shot to fame in 1971 as the star of famous porn film "Deep Throat" - in new biopic of her life, "Inferno".

A source said: "It's a very gritty role - Linda's life was far from happy."

Rose, who has previously portrayed a stripper in horror film "Planet Terror", is said to be fascinated by Linda's tragic life.

"Inferno" will tell how the porn queen, who's real name was Linda Boreman, was forced into the sex industry by her abusive husband Chuck Traynor.

Her breakthrough film "Deep Throat" caused a sensation upon release, and was one of the only pornographic movies ever to be shown in mainstream cinemas.

Linda eventually died penniless aged 53 in 2002 after losing control of her car and crashing.

Before her death she had been involved in drug use but had turned her life around and become an ardent feminist and anti-porn campaigner.

The role of Linda is a career coup for Rose, with both Angelina Jolie and Meg Ryan previously linked to the movie.

(China Daily/Agencies October 10, 2008)