'Anatomy' Star Joins the Priesthood

[Brian Damage]

Caught in a storm of controversy all season, "Grey's Anatomy" star Isaiah Washington will use his summer hiatus to become a man of the cloth.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Washington will star in "The Least of These," an indie drama.

Washington will play a priest who returns to the Catholic high school where he was sexually abused, replacing a missing teacher who may have sexually abused several pupils.

Nathan Scoggins wrote the script and will make his directing debut on the project.

The trade paper reports that Scoggins approached Washington after the actor told reporters he'd been having trouble finding roles in the aftermath of a homophobic slur he used on the set of his hit ABC series and later backstage at the Golden Globes. Washington followed that controversy with a stint in a treatment facility for psychological counseling.

"The Least of These," budgeted at roughly $1 million, will begin production this summer in Los Angeles.

Washington's feature credits include "Ghost Ship," "Wild Things 2" and "Romeo Must Die."