'LOTR' Actress Befriends USA's 'Wife'

Miranda Otto will shoot 'Starter Wife' in November

Miranda Otto, who filmed the final "Lord of the Rings" film in New Zealand, will head back home to Australia for her next project.

The Aussie actress and Joe Mantegna will join Debra Messing in "The Starter Wife," a USA Network limited series set in the world of Hollywood, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

"Starter Wife" is adapted from the novel of the same name by Gigi Levangie Grazer and revolves around how Gracie (Messing) copes after her husband, the powerful head of a studio, cheats on her and then divorces her. Used to being a "Wife Of," Grace is homeless, until a friend allows her to temporarily crash in a home in Malibu.

Otto will play one of Gracie's best friends, while Mantegna will play the ex-husband's boss.

Production is scheduled to begin in early November, and the show is aiming to premiere in late spring.

Otto's other film credits include "What Lies Beneath," "Flight of the Phoenix" and "War of the Worlds." Mantegna played Will Girardi on CBS' "Joan of Arcadia." His big-screen credits include "The Godfather Part III," "Searching for Bobby Fischer," "Up Close & Personal" and "The Kid & I."