Rhys Wakefield and Emma Rigby Join Alex Pettyfer – Gabriella Wilde “Endless Love” Remake

May 17, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

endlesslove British actress Emma Rigby and Aussie actor Rhys Wakefield have joined the cast of romantic drama remake “Endless Love”, according to The Wrap. Alex Pettyfer and Gabriella Wilde play the leads originated by Martin Hewitt and Brooke Shields in the 1981 original film, and “The Hunger Games”‘ Dayo Okeniyi, Bruce Greenwood and Robert Patrick also have supporting roles. Shana Feste is directing.

Wilde and Pettyfer play a pair of high school students who fall deeply in love and whose intense relationship puts her parents on edge. When they are forced to break up until the end of high school, Pettyfer’s character sets an ill-fated plan into motion to appear as a hero in front of them to win back their favor, leading to tragic consequences. Okeniyi plays the role of Pettyfer’s daredevil best friend, while Wakefield will play Wilde’s older brother, who struggles to live up to the legacy of their older brother, who passed away. No word on who Rigby plays.

Wakefield starred on famed Aussie soap “Home and Away” and James Cameron’s “Sanctum.” He’ll soon be seen in home invasion thriller “The Purge.” Ribgy starred on British soap “Hollyoaks” and plays the Red Queen in ABC series “Once Upon a Time in Wonderland”, which was just picked up to series.

Watch: First Trailer for “The Butler” Goes for the Heartstrings – and the Oscar Vote

May 8, 2013 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in Videos Leave a comment

The first trailer for Lee Daniel’s “The Butler” was released today and it’s a stirring two and a half minutes that tugs at the heartstrings. Talk about an impressive trailer to get us talking about the first of this year’s awards-baity films!

Starring Forest Whitaker as Cecil Gaines and Oprah Winfrey as his wife, “The Butler” is based on Wil Haygood’s Washington Post article about a black man who served as a White House butler to eight presidents over three decades. Daniel’s film also stars David Oyelowo as Gaines’ song Louis who was a Freedom Rider, Alex Pettyfer as a slave-owner, and James Marsden and Minka Kelly as President Kennedy and Jackie Kennedy.

This trailer has a heavy focus on the 1960s and the Civil Rights Movement, showcasing Nelsan Ellis as Martin Luther King Jr., but expect the film to cover all of the presidents that Cecil Gaines worked for in the White House, with this first trailer giving us glimpses of Eisenhower (Robin Williams), Kennedy, Nixon (John Cusack) and President Reagan (Alan Rickman)

“The Butler” will be released on October 18th 2013 – perfect for awards season.

Click below to watch the trailer.

“Hunger Games” Star Dayo Okeniyi Joins Alex Pettyfer – Gabriella Wilde “Endless Love” Remake

May 3, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

Dayo Okeniyi, who played Thresh in “The Hunger Games”, continues to be one of the most prolific and fast-rising young actors to break out of the 2012 blockbuster. THR reports today he has landed a major role in Universal’s remake of 1980s romantic thriller “Endless Love” starring Alex Pettyfer and Gabriella Wilde.

Wilde and Pettyfer play a pair of high school students who fall deeply in love and whose intense relationship puts her parents on edge. When they are forced to break up until the end of high school, Pettyfer’s character sets an ill-fated plan into motion to appear as a hero in front of them to win back their favor, leading to tragic consequences. Okeniyi is lining up the role of Pettyfer’s daredevil best friend, while Robert Patrick recently took the role of Pettyfer’s father. Shana Feste directing the remake.

Okeniyi, who made his feature debut in “The Hunger Games” but whose fate in the story won’t allow for a return in the sequel, has nevertheless lined up quite the upcoming slate. He will next be seen opposite Miles Teller and Shailene Woodley in Sundance hit “The Spectacular Now” and he has also wrapped filming on gambling drama “Runner Runner” with Ben Affleck and Justin Timberlake.

Alex Pettyfer and Gabriella Wilde Land “Endless Love” Remake Leads

March 21, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

gabriella-alex Filmmakers have been searching for a pair of young actors to headline a remake of 1980s romantic thriller “Endless Love” and have finally found them in Alex Pettyfer and Gabriella Wilde, according to Variety.

Director Shana Feste screen tested five young actresses last month, Wilde among them, but Pettyfer has apaprently pulled off a coup for his role, taking it from Brenton Thwaites, who the filmmakers reportedly liked enough to pair in readings with all the girls. In any case, it’s now Pettyfer and Wilde who will play intensely in love high schoolers whose relationship is forbidden by her parents, leading to tragic consequences. Filming begins this spring.

Pettyfer, last seen in “Magic Mike”, also tested for the lead in “Divergent” but ultimately lost out to Theo James, and most recently wrapped up shooting on Lee Daniels’ “The Butler.” Wilde is one of our Faces to Watch in 2013 and will soon be seen opposite Chloe Moretz in Kimberly Pierce’s remake of “Carrie.”

The newest YA heroine needs a co-star. Who should play Four in “Divergent”?

January 31, 2013 | Posted by Lindsey Young in Casting, Features 1 Comment

With the announcement that Shaliene Woodley has been cast in the lead role in the upcoming dystopian “Divergent“, as well as Kate Winslet being in talks for an unknown role, this adaptation of the YA novel just got a little more real. Naturally, the next course of action will be to seek out other young individuals (well-known or perhaps not) to fill out the rest of the roles of Tris’ friends and foes alike. It’s no surprise that among Tris’ circle of friends is a love interest, and yes, it’s time to play the casting game again.

After Woodley’s negotiations became public knowledge last year, names were thrown into the casting mix for the pivotal role of “Four”, Tris’ mentor-turned-love interest. Alexander Ludwig (Cato of “The Hunger Games“) tweeted that he had a meeting with Lionsgate about the role. Not too long after, “Teen Wolf” star Colton Haynes caused much speculation among fans when he announced his departure from the MTV show and soon after followed Veronica Roth, author of “Divergent” on twitter while tweeting that he had some “news” to share soon. Related instances? Who knows. They were, however, perhaps meaningless ones as earlier this month, Alex Pettyfer, Lucas Till and Jeremy Irvine were reported to have auditioned for the role. The search is definitely on, but nothing and no one has been confirmed as of yet.

Of the names who have been thrown into the pool, there are some that we at Up and Comers could see as Four – but then there are also some that we think should stay far, far away from this adaptation lest they just turn him into another lacking portrayal of a character with so much to work with. In the words of our Tris Prior herself, “This character needs to be extremely masculine, and his eyes need to scream vulnerability and sensitivity.” We agree, Shailene. And so here are five actors that we think would be great as Tris’ mentor and eventual love interest.

Lucas Till, Jeremy Irvine and Alex Pettyfer vying for “Divergent” male lead opposite Shailene Woodley

January 8, 2013 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 7 Comments

Shailene Woodley is still searching for her Four. Two months after she tested opposite a quartet of young leading men, director Neil Burger and the filmmakers behind “Divergent” are still looking for the perfect male lead. Variety reports today that a trio of guys will test opposite Woodley later this week, and the contenders are Lucas Till, Jeremy Irvine and Alex Pettyfer.

Till is the only holdver from the guys who tested in November, so it seems fair to say Brenton Thwaites, Luke Bracey and Jack Reynor did not make the cut, while Variety is careful to point out that Till may have a slight advantage over his new competitors but there are no clear frontrunners just yet. Woodley plays Tris Prior, whose futuristic dystopic world is one in which society is divided into factions (Dauntless, Abnegation, Amity, Candor, and Erudite), and each person is sorted into each faction based on a personality test that determines their dominant character traits. Born into the selfless faction Abnegation, Tris shocks her family when she opts to join Dauntless, the brave, instead. There she meets Four, a fellow Abnegation defector who has now taken on a leadership role in their new faction. Four is stand offish, mysterious and super hot. Well, of course. In any case, they discover they have bigger problems to worry about than their burgeoning romance. The film is scheduled to begin shooting in Chicago this spring for a March 21, 2014 release.

Till is perhaps best known for his role as Havok in “X-Men: First Class” (he’s not yet confirmed to return for its sequel, and scheduling conflicts would surely arise if he landed “Divergent”). He will next be seen Chan-wook Park’s “Stoker” opposite Mia Wasikowska and recently wrapped up shooting on “Paranoia” opposite Liam Hemsworth. Irvine was hand-picked by Steven Spielberg to star in his Oscar-nominated “War Horse” and also recently played Pip in a new adaptation of “Great Expectations.” He recently wrapped up shooting “The Railway Man”, in which he plays the younger version of Colin Firth. Pettyfer, who’s had YA adaptation experience thanks to his starring role in “I Am Number Four”, most recently headlined Steven Soderbergh’s sleeper hit “Magic Mike” opposite Channing Tatum. He recently wrapped up shooting on Lee Daniels’ “The Butler.”

“True Blood” star Nelsan Ellis to play Martin Luther King, Jr. in Lee Daniels’ “The Butler”

July 30, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

The cast of Lee Daniels’ “The Butler” is still growing. Today Deadline reports Daniels has found his MLK in “True Blood” actor Nelsan Ellis, who joins a cast that already includes Forest Whitaker, David Oyelowo, Alan Rickman, Jane Fonda, Oprah Winfrey, Liam Neeson, Nicole Kidman, Minka Kelly, Cuba Gooding Jr, Alex Pettyfer, Terrance Howard and Lenny Kravitz in the true historical tale.

Whitaker plays Eugene Allen, the White House butler who started out as an entry level “pantry man” in pre-Civil Rights 1952 to serving eight presidents over 30 years and witnessing firsthand such historical events as the Vietnam War and the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr, John F. Kennedy, and Robert Kennedy. Winfrey and Oyelowo play his wife and son, respectively, while the rest of the cast all play real life historical and political figures, which now includes Ellis as the iconic Civil Rights leader. Filming is underway.

Ellis appeared in “The Help” with Oyelowo, as well as sports films “Secretariat” and “The Express”, though he’s most well known for his role as short order cook and gay witch Lafeyette Reynolds on HBO’s “True Blood”, now in its 6th season. He recently wrapped up shooting indie films “The Reluctant Fundamentalist” opposite Keiefer Sutherland and Kate Hudson, and “Gods Behaving Badley” with Christopher Walken and Sharon Stone.

Alex Pettyfer heading to “Cali” with Kristen Stewart

July 25, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

Kristen Stewart has found her partner in crime in British actor Alex Pettyfer. Variety reports Pettyfer has landed the male lead and will play opposite Stewart in gritty indie actioner “Cali”, scheduled to begin filming later this summer under the direction of Nick Cassavetes.

Stewart and Pettyfer will play a pair of Southern Californian lovebirds who have become rich and successful through some not so savory or legal means. After making and selling a fake snuff film starring Stewart’s character Mya, the two drive off into the sunset, only to be forced to return “from the dead” years later to face the people they scammed when Mya’s sister gets into trouble. Stewart has revealed she will be blonde and tan in the film, a far cry from the pale, brunette Bella Swan that has made her an international superstar. “I’m going to get into the best shape of my life,” she told Women’s Wear Daily magazine. “I’m going to look like a stripper. I’m going to looks like a porn star.” Michael Diliberti wrote the script.

Pettyfer, who gained fame and notoriety from teen fare like “I Am Number Four” and “Beastly”, was most recently seen in Steven Soderbergh’s sleeper summer hit “Magic Mike”, and is committed to indie thriller “Diamond Dogs”, as well as Lee Daniels’ historical drama “The Butler.”

Lee Daniels casts Alex Pettyfer in “The Butler”

June 18, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

Lee Daniels has had his eye on Alex Pettyfer for a while. He wanted to cast him in “The Paperboy” over a year ago, but scheduling ultimately couldn’t be worked out and the role, for better or worse, went to Zac Efron. Now it appears the time is right for the actor and director to finally work together, as Deadline reports Pettyfer has joined the all-star cast of Daniels’ next, “The Butler.”

Pettyfer will play the supporting role of Thomas Westphall amongst a cast that already includes Forest Whitaker, David Oyelowo, Alan Rickman, Jane Fonda, Oprah Winfrey, Minka Kelly, Cuba Gooding Jr, Terrance Howard, and Lenny Kravitz. Whitaker plays Eugene Allen, the White House butler who started out as an entry level “pantry man” in pre-Civil Rights 1952 to serving eight presidents over 30 years and witnessing firsthand such historical events as the Vietnam War and the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr, John F. Kennedy, and Robert Kennedy. Pettyfer’s Westphall “appears early in the life of Forest Whitaker’s character and has a pivotal influence on the rest of that character’s life.” Filming begins in mid-July.

Pettyfer, who gained fame and notoriety from teen fare like “I Am Number Four” and “Beastly”, will soon be seen in Steven Soderbergh’s LA Film Festival closer “Magic Mike”, and is committed to indie thriller “Diamond Dogs.”

Alex Pettyfer to lead thriller “Diamond Dogs”

May 18, 2012 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

“Magic Mike” star Alex Pettyfer will headline indie drama “Diamond Dogs”, according to Variety.

Pascal Chaumeil, who is gearing up to shoot “A Long Way Down” with Emile Hirsch and Imogen Poots, will direct Pettyfer as a popular high school student whose life spirals out of control when he accidentally kills someone, a crime his father then tries to cover up. The search is currently on for a high profile actor to play the teen’s sheriff father. The film is an adaptation of the novel of the same name by Alan Watt.

British thesp Pettyfer had been deemed the Next Big Thing a year or two back on the cusp of “I Am Number Four” and “Beastly” being released, but both movies tanking at the box office, coupled with tabloid rumors of the young actor’s bad attitude, put a halt to his on-the-verge career. A bounce back could be in the near future though, as Steven Soderbergh’s male stripper buddy dramedy “Magic Mike” is set for release in June, with positive buzz already going strong.

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