Kelly Marie Tran to play activist Amanda Nguyen in biopic

Los Angeles: "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" actor Kelly Marie Tran is set to star in and produce a biopic on her friend and civil rights activist Amanda Nguyen.

According to entertainment website The Hollywood Reporter, Tran is developing the film, alongside Significant Productions and Madica Productions.

The untitled movie will see Nguyen's transformation from a survivor of college sexual assault to an activist for survivors' rights, including penning a Survivors' Bill of Rights (which inspired the federal law passed in 2016) and founding the civil rights accelerator Rise.

Tran, also known for "Raya and the Last Dragon", said she is fortunate to bring Nguyen's story to the big screen.

"Over the years, Amanda's activism has changed the lives of billions, as she continues to make our world safer for sexual assault survivors everywhere. Her courage inspires me every day, and I am honoured to help tell her story," the actor said in a statement.

Nguyen said she is "deeply grateful" to Tran and the production banners for telling not only her story, but also the story of billions of survivors across the world.

"Stories are how we tell ourselves dreams are possible. Societal stigma silences rape survivors. My story is not mine alone. I hear from countless survivors the strength they gain from hearing other survivors share their story.

"My hope is that this will make them feel less alone. I am grateful to Kelly for her friendship, for her understanding of our shared Vietnamese American heritage and for her belief that this is a story worth telling," the activist added.

Tang Yi, who won the Palme d'Or for best short film at Cannes last year for "All the Crows in the World", is in discussions to write and direct the project, which is in the early development stages.