Anne Heche steps in to star opposite Ashton Kutcher in the indie romantic comedy Spread, replacing Jennifer Jason Leigh.

Kutcher's Katalyst production company is producing this tale of a womanizer and the lover he scorns.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Leigh dropped out of the project Feb. 21 for undisclosed reasons. News reports are speculating that Leigh and her husband, Margot at the Wedding director Noah Baumbach, are expecting a child.

The Los Angeles-based production is set to begin shooting with Heche immediately.

Spread was released August 14th, 2009 and stars Ashton Kutcher, Anne Heche, Margarita Levieva, Sebastian Stan, Ashley Johnson, Sonia Rockwell, Rachel Blanchard, Shane Brolly. The film is directed by David Mackenzie.