Heather Mills has flown to the US to plan a Hollywood film about her life - and she wants Oscar-winner Reese Witherspoon to take the starring role.

She went there after the deadline she set her estranged husband Sir Paul McCartney to agree a 50million divorce passed without a settlement.

Miss Mills called on Sir Paul to reach a deal by close of business on Friday or face the worst she could throw at him in court, on screen and in a new biography.

Sir Paul's lawyers had not been in touch by the deadline and on Friday evening Miss Mills, 39, flew out to begin a media barrage. She is having a meeting in Los Angeles with American film writer and producer Robert von Dassanowsky to discuss the making of a film of her life.

She is keen to get Reese Witherspoon, 31, who won a best actress Oscar last year for her portrayal of June Carter Cash in Walk the Line, to play her.

A well-placed source told the Mail: "Heather has been working for some time on the biopic. Of course it had all been shelved while she thought they were heading for a settlement.

"But the script was dusted off pretty rapidly over the weekend. She had wanted Heather Locklear to play her. She now feels someone with slightly more credibility like Reese Witherspoon should play her. Heather wants an unknown to play Paul.