By Cathy Dunkley

Nikki Webster, the 13-year-old Australian girl who sang during the opening and closing ceremonies at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, is set to star in the independent African feature film “Vanilla Gorilla” to be directed by Randal Kleiser (“Grease,” “Honey, I Blew Up the Kid”). Production is expected to begin in February for a targeted Christmas 2001 release.

“Vanilla” is the story of a captive albino gorilla that learned American sign language and teaches it to a young girl (Webster) he befriends.

Craig Gardner wrote the screenplay and will be a producer on the film with Normandi Brown and Tony Sloman. Sam Kute will executive produce, and T.J. Mancini and Erika Branna are co-producers. The project was packaged by Jerry Zeitman of the Agency.

Source: The Hollywood Reporter