Doris Payne’s life and heists are getting the Hollywood treatment.
The infamous jewel thief will be portrayed by actress Tessa Thompson in an upcoming heist movie, according to Variety. The film will be an action-drama similar to “Catch Me If You Can” and “The Thomas Crown Affair,” the outlet says. Thompson has appeared in films including “Creed” and “Thor: Ragnarok.”
Payne, known as “Granny Gem Thief,” has spent six decades using charm and manipulation to steal fine jewelry around the world, from Paris to Tokyo. The now-87-year-old has more than 20 arrests and has used more than 22 aliases since she stole her first diamond at age 23.
Age hasn’t slowed down the convicted thief, either. Payne was sentenced last March to 120 days of house arrest for stealing a $2,000 necklace from the Perimeter Mall in Dunwoody, Georgia. Payne was arrested again in July and accused of shoplifting $86.22 worth of merchandise from a Walmart in Chamblee, Georgia, while wearing an ankle monitoring bracelet. She pleaded guilty but avoided jail time.
Payne detailed many of her crimes in the 2013 documentary “The Life and Crimes of Doris Payne.” In the doc’s trailer, she said: “I don’t have any regrets about stealing jewelry. I regret getting caught.”
In 2008, it was rumored that Halle Berry would portray Payne in a Eunetta Boone-scripted film titled “Who is Doris Payne?” The movie, however, is still listed as in development on IMBD.com.
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