•• Monterey Media has bought all U.S. and Canadian rights to Kaley Cuoco’s “Burning Bodhi,” two weeks after its world premiere at the Austin Film Festival, Variety has learned exclusively.

The drama, directed by Matthew McDuffie from his own script, is produced by Marshall Bear. In addition to “The Big Bang Theory” actress, it also stars Sasha Pieterse (“Pretty Little Liars”), Cody Horn, Virginia Madsen, Landon Liboiron and Andy Buckley.

“Burning Bodhi” centers on a group of lifelong friends who return to their hometown in New Mexico after word spreads on Facebook about the death of the most popular person in their group. The reunion stirs up feelings of love, longing and regret, intertwined with the novelty of forgiveness, mortality and gratitude.

Monterey plans a theatrical launch in March. The deal was negotiated with Bear and his representative Noor Ahmed of Reder and Feig LLP, and attorney Chad Mathis with Monterey Media’s Scott Mansfield.

•• Virginia Madsen attended the Screen Actors Guild Foundation 30th Anniversary Celebration at Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on November 5 in Beverly Hills. Pictures from the event can be found in the photo gallery, enjoy.

•• JOY movie star Virginia Madsen has opened up about the experience of working on the project based on the life of Miracle Mop inventor Joy Mangano.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times, the actress recalled the moment she got the call from director David O. Russell saying she was cast for the film.

“He said, ‘Do you have any problem with playing the mother of Jennifer Lawrence?'” Madsen shared. “I said, ‘I’ve never had a problem with aging.’ And I went on to tell him how much I liked her and how without knowing her I felt motherly toward her and I felt proud of her for what she’s done at such a young age. Well, I didn’t realize that Jennifer was sitting there.”

Virginia Madsen also shared what it was like to work with Robert De Niro, who plays Madsen’s husband and Lawrence’s father in the film.

“There’s still a part of me that was going, ‘Oh, my God, Robert De Niro is throwing things at me. This is so cool!'” the actress said. “I grew up admiring him as one of the greatest living actors ever. And there he is and such a dream come true to not just meet him but work with him.”

Russell had also opened up about the upcoming film.

Speaking with the New York Times, the director shared what made him interested in Mangano’s story.

“It’s the first story I’ve done that has a woman at the center of it,” he said. “Jennifer’s usually coming in from the side, like a rogue. [Laughs.] She kind of sneaks in and takes over half the movie. But here, she’s in the middle, not with a bow and arrow, but with her heart and soul.”

JOY will hit theaters on its release date of Dec. 25.