She would play a female college student, who, after a contentious, but ambiguous meeting with a professor, accuses the academic of sexual harassment, setting off a murky and violent battle of wills and perception. David Suchet and Lia Williams starred in the play in it London premiere. William H. Macy and Rebecca Pidgeon took on the roles in the Off-Broadway production, which was Mamet's last hit in New York. Mamet later made a film of the drama. Stiles, veteran of such films as "Hamlet" and "State and Main," acted the part of Viola in the 2002 Central Park staging of Twelfth Night.
The director and producers of Oleanna are used to working with American film stars. Director Lindsay Posner guided Minnie Driver, Matthew Perry and Hank Azaria through a recent Sexual Perversity in Chicago. And producers Blue Productions brought London Kenneth Lonergan's This Is Our Youth, starring Matt Damon and other big screen stars.