New Zealand actor Grant Bowler - who played Wolf in Outrageous Fortune - has been picked to play the part of Richard Burton opposite Lindsay Lohan's Elizabeth Taylor in a television series about the famous couple, Hollywood media report.

Bowler, who also played a werewolf in the US series True Blood, has been chosen to play the movie legend Burton's part in Liz & Dick after a reading with Lohan in which "the chemistry erupted in the room", executive producer Larry A Thompson was quoted as saying.

Despite Burton being Welsh, New Zealander Bowler was picked ahead of others in what has been an exhaustive audition process. Production is due to begin in 10 days.

"Grant will add gravitas to our couple and bring to life one of the greatest actors who has ever lived," Thompson said.

"Burton was a Welsh poet, a rascal, and a man's man, who swept Elizabeth Taylor off her feet and flew her so close to the sun that they both exploded into stardust that still lights up Hollywood," he went on.