British model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley will take over as the leading lady in the next Transformers blockbuster, Deadline Hollywood has learned.
The Victoria’s Secret pin-up, 23, has accepted a role in Michael Bay’s forthcoming third Transformers sequel just days after men’s mag fave Fox ended months of strained relations with Bay and his staff by abruptly quitting her role as Mikaela Banes in the franchise.
Rosie beat out a bevy of beauties to play Shia LaBeouf’s love interest on the silver screen. Other actress shortlisted as a potential robot-slaying bombshell include Gemma Arterton, Zoe Saldana, Vanessa Hudgens, Amber Heard, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Hayden Panettiere, Twilight actress Ashley Greene, and Rosie’s fellow Vicky’s Secret angel Miranda Kerr.
Transformers 3 is due in the theaters across the US on July 1, 2011.