Two bits of casting news today for some lovely leading ladies (although only one of the roles is actually a lead).  Here are the headlines:

• Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland) is set to join Tracks for director John Curran (The Painted Veil).  The Australian-set picture is based on Robyn Davidson’s trek across the heart of the island continent.
• Minka Kelly (Friday Night Lights) will join Precious director Lee Daniels‘ historical drama, The Butler, based on the life of Eugene Allen, who served on the White House staff from 1952 to 1986.

Hit the jump for more.

On the AMC series Mad Men, the work of Elisabeth Moss is one many fine points on the period drama, and now she’s taking her talents to another television outlet between her steady work as Peggy Olsen. Deadline has word that the actress is in final negotiations to lead a new six-hour mini-series from BBC 2 called Top of the Lake. Writer/director Jane Campion (who won an Oscar for her work on The Piano) is working with The King’s Speech producers Emile Sherman and Iain Canning to tell the story of Robin Griffin (Moss), a detective investigating the disappearance of a 12-year-old pregnant girl, who is the daughter of a local drug lord. Campion not only co-wrote the script with Gerald Lee, but she will also direct the mini-series as well. Right now it doesn’t have a network home in the United States, but Sundance Channel is apparently interested in picking it up. Either way, I’m sure we’ll see it here in the States sometime down the road, and certainly in contention for the Emmys when the time comes.

The King’s Speech producers Iain Canning and Emile Sherman are likely to take home Oscar statues on Sunday, and folks are naturally curious how you follow up an awards-season hit.  Apparently, you do it with a fairly lame-sounding rom-com.  According to THR, Ian Iqbal Rashid (Touch of Pink) will write and direct American English for the producers.  The film centers on a woman from New Jersey who moves to London, falls in love, and tries to hide the fact that she’s from New Jersey.  That needless charade becomes more difficult when her mother comes to visit.  American English is slated to shoot later this year.

Canning and Sherman are also producing the far-more respectable Shame through their London-based See-Saw Films.  Shame will reteam Hunger director Steve McQueen with star Michael Fassbender.  Fassbender will play a Manhattan office worker who is dealing with sex-addiction.  The film also stars Carey Mulligan and James Badge Dale.