AMERICAN IDOL's Jessica Sanchez in the Running for MISS SAIGON Film?

AMERICAN IDOL's Jessica Sanchez is reportedly in the running for the upcoming MISS SAIGON film. Sanchez, 16, was the season 11 runner-up in the singing competition.

“If she’s the one that they’ve chosen, or she’s somebody in serious consideration, then that’s a good thing. We all know she’s talented, we all know she’s actually quite beautiful,” MISS SAIGON's original "Kim," Lea Salonga, said as reported by the Manila Bulletin today. 

The film, which is still in the early stages of development, had previously announced Lee Daniels as director; no official release date has yet been set.

Miss Saigon, based on the Puccini opera Madame Butterfly, is brought up-to-date with music and lyrics by Alan Boubil and Claude-Michael Schönberg (the creators of Les Misérables), with an English translation by Richard Maltby, Jr.

It is a story of an American soldier and a Vietnamese girl who fall in love, only to be separated during the fall of Saigon. Their struggles to find each other over the ensuing years end in tragedy for her and a fighting chance for the child he never knew he had. Miss Saigon is an epic, daring pop opera that gives a multi-ethnic cast of strong singers an opportunity to shine in show-stopping numbers like "I Still Believe," "Why God Why?" and "The American Dream."

Other actresses reported to be in consideration for the role have included singer Charice and GODSPELL's Anna Maria Perez de Tagle.