Rachel Griffiths to play Julia Gillard in TV drama Rachel Griffiths, left, and Julia Gillard. Pictures: AFP, Gary Ramage Source: AFP AUSSIE actor Rachel Griffiths will play former prime minister Julia Gillard in a television drama cataloguing her tumultuous three years in office, with the former PM's co-operation. The project is based on journalist Kerry-Anne Walsh's book The Stalking of Julia Gillard, which examines the media's relationship with Ms Gillard following her ousting of, and ultimate replacement by, Kevin Rudd. The feature-length film, which is using the working title 'Stalking Julia', is being produced by WTFN, maker of The Living Room and Bondi Vet for Network Ten, as it moves into drama for the first time. " (Gillard's) on board," WTFN chief executive Daryl Talbot said. We'll need her from a research perspective. We'll be doing interviews of our own as well. It will be the third in a series of dramas on Labor political leaders by WTFN's director of drama and features Richard Keddie, who was behind the political biopic Hawke for Ten and Curtin for the ABC. He also directed the successful Your Rights at Work TV commercials for the union movement and directed some of Mr Rudd's election commercials. WTFN acquired Keddie's The Film Company earlier this year. It's understood no broadcasters have to date signed on, but they were sent initial treatments several weeks ago. Griffiths said the drama would change the way Australians look back at Ms Gillard's period in office. "I am thrilled to portray Australia's first female prime minister and explore the private aspects of her remarkable term," Griffiths said. I believe that the creative and intellectual capacity of the team involved will produce a stunning drama that will reframe this historic period in our cultural and political life. Keddie told TV blog TV Tonight the 24/7 media cycle would also have a starring role in the feature. "Kevin Rudd was a genius of the 24/7 news cycle," Keddie told TV Tonight. He kept the media fed and kept the media running and spinning for years. The media fed off that and they fed off the conflict. You have two incredible personalities in Rudd and Gillard She was extraordinarily successful in her performance as a prime minister but not in the media. The media didn't like her. They went after her and killed her.