Jack O'Connell cast in Angelina Jolie's next movie Unbroken.
British actor Jack O’Connell has become quite a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood. While he remains the front-runner for the lead role in Matthew Vaughn’s comic book adaptation “The Secret Service” opposite Colin Firth, he has landed perhaps an even bigger coup. Variety reports O’Connell has beat out some stiff competition (mainly Dane Dehaan) to land the lead role in Angelina Jolie’s adaptation of “Unbroken”, based on the incredible true story of Louis Zamperini.
The film was just set for a December 25th, 2014 release date, thrusting the relative unknown O’Connell straight into the middle of Oscar season, but if any role was tailor-made for Oscar gold, it just might be this one.
Born in 1917 to Italian immigrant parents, Zamperini was picked on in school for his lack of English skills, but a troubled youth was turned around when he got involved in his high school’s track team. He went on to qualify for the 1936 Olympics in the 5000 metres race. He finished 8th in the race at the Olympics, but a fast finish time garnered him a personal meeting with Adolf Hiter. And that’s just the beginning of Zamperini’s epic journey as he then enlisted in the army in 1941 and was caught in a plane crash, landing in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with two other soldiers, managing to survive for 47 days, before they were found and then immediately captured by the Japanese Navy. As a POW, Zamperini and pilot and fellow survivor Russel Allen “Phil” Phillips were beaten and starved for over three years before being discovered alive.
The Coen Brothers recently polished up the script and Roger Deakins is rumored to be the DP, so O’Connell will be surrounded by some heavy talent for his first major Hollywood role.
O’Connell is probably still best known for his role as bad boy Cook on “Skins” to which he returns for a special season 7. He gave up the male lead role in “Beautiful Creatures” (probably a blessing in disguise, in hindsight) but landed one of the leads of “300: Rise of an Empire” instead, and now, with “Unbroken”, he will probably find himself having many more role options in the near future.
Source : http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/jack-oconnell-takes-lead-in-angelina-jolies-unbroken-film-slated-for-oscar-season-2014-release-20130710?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
http://upandcomers.net/2013/07/10/jack-oconnell-lands-louis-zamperini-role-in-angelina-jolies-unbroken/
I'm so happy for him since I thought Dane Dehaan would get it.
The film was just set for a December 25th, 2014 release date, thrusting the relative unknown O’Connell straight into the middle of Oscar season, but if any role was tailor-made for Oscar gold, it just might be this one.
Born in 1917 to Italian immigrant parents, Zamperini was picked on in school for his lack of English skills, but a troubled youth was turned around when he got involved in his high school’s track team. He went on to qualify for the 1936 Olympics in the 5000 metres race. He finished 8th in the race at the Olympics, but a fast finish time garnered him a personal meeting with Adolf Hiter. And that’s just the beginning of Zamperini’s epic journey as he then enlisted in the army in 1941 and was caught in a plane crash, landing in the middle of the Pacific Ocean with two other soldiers, managing to survive for 47 days, before they were found and then immediately captured by the Japanese Navy. As a POW, Zamperini and pilot and fellow survivor Russel Allen “Phil” Phillips were beaten and starved for over three years before being discovered alive.
The Coen Brothers recently polished up the script and Roger Deakins is rumored to be the DP, so O’Connell will be surrounded by some heavy talent for his first major Hollywood role.
O’Connell is probably still best known for his role as bad boy Cook on “Skins” to which he returns for a special season 7. He gave up the male lead role in “Beautiful Creatures” (probably a blessing in disguise, in hindsight) but landed one of the leads of “300: Rise of an Empire” instead, and now, with “Unbroken”, he will probably find himself having many more role options in the near future.
Source : http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/jack-oconnell-takes-lead-in-angelina-jolies-unbroken-film-slated-for-oscar-season-2014-release-20130710?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter
http://upandcomers.net/2013/07/10/jack-oconnell-lands-louis-zamperini-role-in-angelina-jolies-unbroken/
I'm so happy for him since I thought Dane Dehaan would get it.