The latest movie adaptation of Anna Nicole Smith's life premieres on Lifetime on June 29, and director Mary Harron talked on Friday why she was drawn to the model's story.

Titled Anna Nicole, the film is the second TV-movie about Smith's life after 2007's Anna Nicole Story starring Willa Ford. The latest film stars Agnes Bruckner as the titular model who died at the age of 39 a result of an overdose of prescription drugs. Harron said that the idea of Smith's story being the "American dream" is what brought her to the project.

"For Anna, she'd gotten, for a time, everything you could want in a fantasy of publicity and attention and money - celebrity." Harron explained to Entertainment Weekly. "And when it's suddenly pulled away from you, there's this terrible fall. It's the American dream."

Harron wasn't particularly compelled to tell Smith's story originally, but became convinced when looking back on her last few years.

"I remember however many years ago it was, how awful it was - reading about Anna and thinking, 'Oh, she had a baby girl, that's nice.' Because we'd seen her ups and downs and being 300 pounds and then most horrible public dramas. That was what I remember, this very tragic story. I'm amazed by how much interest there is in her now. I wasn't expecting that; I just thought it was a good story."

Harron revealed that a number of actresses came in to audition for the lead part. Bruckner was ultimately chosen because she really "embraced" the part, despite not being a girly girl like Smith.

Harron pointed out that Anna Nicole feels more like a "movie-movie" rather than a TV movie, mostly because of the lighting used as well as the complexity of the story. She noted that Smith was a complicated character to portray because of her drive to succeed - "an agent of her destiny."

Anna Nicole is set to premiere on Lifetime on Saturday, June 29 at 8 p.m.

Watch a trailer for the film here:

Tags: Anna Nicole Smith