Ansel Elgort Is Augustus Waters in "The Fault in Our Stars" Opposite Shailene Woodley

From siblings to star-crossed lovers! EW reports rising star Ansel Elgort has been offered the male lead in "The Fault in Our Stars" opposite Shailene Woodley - who plays his sister in the currently-filming dystopian adaptation "Divergent." The two Read more

Dylan O'Brien Lands "The Maze Runner" Lead; Ki Hong Lee Also Joins

UPDATE: Director Wes Ball tweets that Ki Hong Lee has also joined the cast as Minho, a fellow Glader and ally to Thomas throughout the series. Lee is probably best known as a regular on short-lived ABC Family Read more

Shailene Woodley Confirmed for "The Fault in Our Stars"

I mean, duh, we called it. It has now been officially confirmed with glowing quotes from director, producer and author in tow that the increasingly in demand Shailene Woodley will play the lead role of Hazel Grace Lancaster Read more

Up and Comers Presents: 20 Faces to Watch in 2013

After a somewhat unpredictable year in which the stars we expected to break out largely didn't but fresh faces came out of nowhere to surprise us all, we are ready to look ahead to the new talent waiting to Read more

Up and Comers Presents: The Breakout Stars of 2012

Another year, another new crop of fresh talent. Just like last year, the hardest part is narrowing down which of the dozens of the year's rising stars shone the brightest. This year we heralded the arrival of the unlikeliest Read more
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robin mcleavy

“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” gains a villian in Rufus Sewell

April 12, 2011 | Posted by Rebecca Lewis in Casting Leave a comment

The cast for Tim Burton’s adapatation of Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter is finally coming together after the process began back in Janaury this year. Benjamin Walker, Anthony Mackie, Dominic Cooper, Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Robin McLeavy are all already in New Orleans for the start of filming, and today Variety have announced that President Lincoln finally has a bad guy to fight!

English actor Rufus Sewell has signed on to play head vampire Adam opposite Walker’s President Lincoln in the adaptation of Seth Grahame-Smith’s novel, in which the death of President Lincoln’s mother by vampires sets young Abe’s life in motion. The novel follows the true events of President Lincoln’s life but with the twist that everything President Lincoln ever did was in an attempt to rid the world of the vampire.

Sewell has been absent from the big screen for a few years, apart from a small role in last year’s The Tourist, sticking mostly to TV mini-series, including the award winning John Adams.

Produced by Tim Burton and Jim Lenley, Timur Bekmambetov will direct and the film, set to be shot in 3D, currently has a tentative release date of June 22, 2012.

Robin McLeavy joins “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” after all, as Lincoln’s mother

March 14, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

At one point, little-known Australian actress Robin McLeavy had been rumored to join the cast of “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” as female lead and love interest Mary Todd to Benjamin Walker’s axe-wielding 16th President, but as we know, the role officially went to Mary Elizabeth Winstead instead.

But it appears McLeavy made enough of an impression on the filmmakers (producer Tim Burton and director Timur Bekmambetov) that they have set her to play a smaller but still pivotal role instead, that of Lincoln’s mother Nancy Hanks Lincoln, whose bite and subsequent death by vampire sets into motion the young Abe’s life and destiny. Seth Grahame-Smith adapted from his novel of the same name, chronicling the shockingly historically accurate life and times of Lincoln, with the added twist that everything he does, including becoming President and presiding over the Civil War, is out of a desire to avenge his mother’s death and rid the world of vampires.

The film, shooting this month in New Orleans, also stars Dominic Cooper as Henry Sturgess, Lincoln’s vampire mentor, Anthony Mackie as William Sewell, Lincoln’s best friend and Jimmi Simpson as Josh Speed, a Lincoln sidekick in battle. Oscar-winning composer Trent Reznor had been set to score and appear in a cameo in the film, but upon the news – which was supposed to be a surprise – being spread on the internet, he pulled out of the project, a development I still have not forgiven the internet for.

“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” is set for a June 22, 2012 release.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead is Mary Todd in “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”

February 17, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting Leave a comment

This time it’s official, guys. Mary Elizabeth Winstead, one of our favorites here at Up and Comers and so often shortlisted for high profile roles to come along in recent months, has officially been cast as Mary Todd (eventually Lincoln), love interest and female lead to Benjamin Walker’s axe-wielding, vampire-killing 16th President in “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”, THR reports today. Earlier reports from Latino Review had little known Aussie actress Robin McLeavy taking the role but it was quickly debunked by her reps.

Winstead has already shared her elation at the news on Twitter, proclaiming “I am happy. That’s all for now.” and then several minutes later linking THR’s report of the news. She will join a whole cast of fellow up and comers, including Dominic Cooper as Lincoln’s vampire mentor, Henry Sturgess, Anthony Mackie as Abe’s best friend Will and maybe Scoot McNairy as sidekick Josh Speed. Timur Bekmambetov directs the Tim Burton-produced film from a script by Seth Grahame-Smith, adapted from his own novel that casts a mostly historically accurate portrait of Lincoln, with the added twist that he also hunts vampires under the cover of night, and makes some of his most influential and revolutionary political decisions with that goal in mind.

This is the first big role Winstead has landed after breaking out as dream girl Ramona Flowers in last summer’s “Scott Pilgrim vs the World”. Since then she’s been a finalist in every high profile casting from Cameron Crowe’s “We Bought a Zoo” (eventually landed by Scarlett Johansson) to Joss Whedon’s “The Avengers” (he gave it to his Wonder Woman Cobie Smulders) and Zack Snyder’s “Superman”, though her casting in “Lincoln” surely takes her out of the running to be Lois Lane.

“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” is set to begin production next month for a release on June 22, 2012.

Robin McLeavy hasn’t been offered but remains in the mix for “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”

February 14, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 2 Comments

UPDATE from McLeavy’s reps: She has not been offered the part yet, but remains in the mix. [reported that the search for the female lead in Timur Bekmambetov’s “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” included names like Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Robin McLeavy, and today Latino Review confirms that it is indeed the little known Aussie McLeavy who will be playing the love interest to Benjamin Walker’s axe-wielding, vampire killing 16th President of the United States. And that love interest is, of course, the eventual first lady, Mary Todd.

McLeavy joins a cast of up and comers that also include Dominic Cooper as Abe’s vampire mentor, Henry Sturgess and Anthony Mackie as his best friend Will. Adapted by Seth Grahame-Smith from his own novel of the same name, the story follows Lincoln throughout his life as he attempts to rid the world of vampires; and goes into politics, ends slavery and presides over the Civil War all as a consequence of that singular goal.

Bekmambetov contemplated filling the cast with more well-known actors, including Adrien Brody, Timothy Olyphant, Tom Hardy and Joaquin Phoenix, but in the end went with the young and unknown set, and McLeavy fits in well with that strategy. Prior to what is sure to be her breakout role, she was mostly (barely) known for playing a jilted high school student who kidnaps and tortures the popular guy who turned her down for prom in “The Loved Ones” opposite “Twilight” star Xavier Samuel. The film debuted at the 2009 Toronto Film Festival to mostly positive reviews but hasn’t found much of an audience since.

“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” is set to begin production next month for a release on June 22, 2012.

Anthony Mackie and Dominic Cooper join “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”; search for female lead on

February 10, 2011 | Posted by Linda Ge in Casting 1 Comment

Casting is firming up fast on Fox’s “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter”, with Dominic Cooper and Anthony Mackie joining today as allies of Benjamin Walker’s titular axe-wielding President. Cooper will play the pivotal role of Henry Sturgess, a vampire who mentors Lincoln throughout his life and is a driving force behind many of Lincoln’s landmark historical decisions. Mackie will play Lincoln’s best friend. Deadline and Variety both reported on the casting news, and THR chimes in to add that a female lead is now being cast, with the often-shortlisted Mary Elizabeth Winstead and little-known Australian actressRobin McLeavy mentioned as possibilities.

The Timur Bekmambetov-directed, Tim Burton-produced bloody 3-D epic will follow Lincoln throughout his life as he attempts to rid the world of vampires and goes into politics, ends slavery and presides over the Civil War all as a consequence of that singular goal. Tom Hardy and most recently Joaquin Phoenix were approached for the Sturgess role, but Bekmambetov has decided to go in a younger, lesser-known direction for his cast. Walker also beat out more established actors like Adrien Brody and Timothy Olyphant for the title role.

Cooper was recently seen in Sundance’s “The Devil’s Double” and will be seen next in “My Week with Marilyn” and “Captain America: The First Avenger” as Howard Stark. Mackie broke out in 2009′s “The Hurt Locker” and recently wrapped “Man on a Ledge” with Sam Worthington.

“Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter” is set to begin production next month for a release on June 22, 2012.