For my money, Paul Thomas Anderson is among the finest filmmakers working today and has already earned himself a place among the pantheon of great artists. Though his filmmography is relatively small compared to many other directors, he makes up for the lack in number for the sheer quality of his work. His latest, THERE WILL BE BLOOD was an American masterpiece and garnered several Academy Award nominations.

His next project, which remains untitled, will star Philip Seymour Hoffman as "The Master," the founder of a new religion. Apparently, the search for a young actress to play The Master's daughter has begun and the list is chock full of young talent. Hit the jump for more information.

Were I to compile a list of the greatest up-and-coming female actresses, two of them would coincide with the list of names being considered for the role. Amanda Seyfried, whose early work in MEAN GIRLS brought her some attention, is definitely garnering some attention for her work in blockbuster hits such as MAMMA MIA! to her smaller roles in indie flicks like CHLOE. In the latter she was able to hold her own against the likes of Liam Neeson and Julianne Moore, which is no easy feat for a young actress like Seyfried.

Also on the list of actresses being considered for the role is Emma Stone, who I could in no way write objectively about. I have a raging crush on Stone, whose performances as "the girl next door" in ZOMBIELAND and SUPERBAD captured the hearts of guys everywhere. I'm pretty stoked to see her break out of the comedy genre, as it doesn't offer her much opportunity to flex her acting muscles to the same degree that PTA's next will allow.

The last name mentioned is that of Deborah Ann Woll, the actress who plays Jessica on True Blood. I don't watch True Blood, so I can't speak much about her abilities. However, if Paul Thomas Anderson is even considering her, I'd wager she's got some talent.

Our friends over at The Playlist reviewed the script for the movie a while back and they say that this role would have some surprises in store for that actress. If I had to guess, I'd place all my bets on a fair amount of nudity in the film as a young daughter rebelling against the religious fervor of her family is just too much to resist. Any of these three could probably pull off the role, but I'm pulling for stone.

But like I said, I'm quite biased.

Source: Production Weekly, via The Playlist