For most of us, Jessica Chastain is a name best associated with Terrence Malick‘s long awaited “The Tree Of Life,” but she has earned praise for her turn in the indie flick “Jolene” as well, and is definitely a talent on the rise. But it looks like the actress is getting ready to make a huge impression on the indie film world. She has roles in the upcoming civil rights era drama “The Help” with Emma Stone, as well as a part in Ami Canaan Mann‘s forthcoming “The Fields.” However, the most recent gig she has signed on to will surely be her most intriguing part yet.
THR reports that Chastain has joined the newly revitalized prohibition era drama “The Wettest County” (formerly known as “The Promised Land“). The film centers on the story of three brothers— Forrest, Howard and Jack in order of age and toughness —running a bootlegging gang during Prohibition whose moonshine dynasty in Franklin County, Virginia is threatened by the authorities wanting a cut. The trade says Chastain will play Hardy’s love interest and having read the script last year, this most certainly means Hardy will play the role of Forrest and Chastain will play the ginger-haired Maggie. This also essentially means as we’ve long speculated, LaBeouf will play the young, meek Jack and some unknown actor will play the middle brother Howard, a violent drunk.
Tom Hardy and Shia LaBeouf, who recently joined the project, brought new life to the thought-to-be-dead project, which nearly got in front of cameras a year ago with a mouthwatering cast including Ryan Gosling, Scarlett Johansson, Paul Dano, Amy Adams and Michael Shannon (none of whom are now mentioned) before falling apart at the last minute.
However, it appears all systems are go with the Nick Cave-scripted adaptation of Matt Bondurant‘s depression-era Prohibition drama “The Wettest County In The World.” The film is aiming to go in front of cameras in February 2011.
