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Jennifer Lopez to play drug lord in new TV movie

Los Angeles - Jennifer Lopez is to play a drug lord in a new HBO TV film.

The 47-year-old actress will star as "cocaine Godmother" Griselda Blanco - who was responsible for an estimated 200 murders while transporting cocaine between cities in the US during the 1970s and early 1980s - in the upcoming movie.

The brunette beauty said: "I've been fascinated by the life of this corrupt and complicated woman for many years.

"The idea of teaming with HBO felt like the perfect fit for finally bringing Griselda's story to life."

But the All I Have hitmaker won't just be in front of the camera as she'll also serve as an executive producer on the project through her Nuyorican Productions company.

The TV film, according to Entertainment Weekly, will focus on the rise and fall of Blanco, who became the most powerful female cartel member of all time.

She was arrested in 1985 and sentenced to more than a decade in jail but continued to run her notorious cocaine business behind bars.

She was then released from prison in 2004 and deported to Colombia before she was killed in a brutal drive-by shooting in the city on  3 September 2012, aged just 69.

Meanwhile, Jennifer is no stranger to television films as she recently starred in NBC's successful Shades of Blue.

The drama debuted in January and was picked up for a second series just after five out of 13 episodes had aired.

It's not yet known when the HBO film, which is to be given a name, will hit television screens.

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