Casey Affleck Looks To Be Out Of The Picture, But Young Unknown Is On The Verge; Ben Mendelsoh Also Joins Cast
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Update: And speaking of inexpensive, on-the-rise talent, Variety reports that “Animal Kingdom” thesp Ben Mendelsohn (who played the nervy Pope in the acclaimed Aussie flick) has also joined “Cogan’s Trade.” He and McNairy will play junkies who hold up the high stakes poker game, with Pitt tasked to find them.
Just ask Jennifer Lawrence, Andrew Garfield, Rooney Mara or Armie Hammer (or better yet, their agents) to name a few: when Hollywood fall in love with a new face in Tinstletown, they fall hard.
Case in point, a young new actor named Scoot McNairy who first landed attention in IFC‘s indie romance “In Search of a Midnight Kiss,” and then turned further heads with Gareth Edwards‘ low-budget “Monsters” flick. On the Q-rating scale, McNairy is essentially a nobody, but try telling that to his agent and with good reason: He’s just landed the second lead role in Andrew Dominik‘s mob comedy, “Cogan’s Trade,” with Brad Pitt, James Gandolfini, Sam Rockwell, Vincent Curatola, Richard Jenkins, Bella Heathcote and Ray Liotta. This essentially means — while not confirmed, but looking very likely — that he replaces Casey Affleck who had once been earmarked for the role, but appears to be on an extended hiatus.
But that’s not all: McNairy is also apparently up for roles in Ridley Scott‘s “Prometheus” and Timur Bekmambetov‘s “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter.” Buzzed about and coming with what’s likely a dirt cheap asking price. No wonder the 310 hearts this kid in a big way. [Deadline]
