A descendant of late author Jane Austen has slammed the casting of Hollywood star Anne Hathaway in forthcoming biopic Becoming Jane, claiming she is "too pretty" for the role. Last month the actress was branded an unsuitable choice to play the late writer by literary figures, who believe she "doesn't possess the right sensibilities."

And now Anna Chancellor, who is a direct descendant of Austen, has slammed the decision to transform her esteemed relative into a ravishing beauty. She says, "In my mind Anne Hathaway is just too pretty to play her. Jane was a very plain woman. Her beauty was in her brain. But that's what Hollywood does."

The British-made film will tell the story of Austen's doomed love for Irish lawyer Tom LeFroy, played by James McAvoy, which floundered because LeFroy's financial prospects failed to impress Austen's family.

(This news article provided by World Entertainment News Network)