Vanessa Kirby has joined the cast of “The Son,” Florian Zeller’s follow up to his Oscar-winning feature debut “The Father,” Variety has learned.
Kirby, who was Oscar-nominated for “Pieces of a Woman,” will star in the film opposite Laura Dern and Hugh Jackman. Likewise with “The Father,” “The Son” was adapted by Zeller and Christopher Hampton (“Dangerous Liaisons”), from Zeller’s widely praised stage play. Zeller and Hampton just won the best adapted screenplay Oscar.
“The Son” focuses on Peter (Jackman) as his busy life with new accomplice Emma (Kirby) and their child is tossed into disorder when his ex Kate (Dern) turns up with their teen child, Nicholas. The young fellow is upset, far off and furious, playing no-show from school for quite a long time. Peter endeavors to be a superior dad, looking to assist his child with those cozy and instinctive moments of family happiness. However, the heaviness of Nicholas’ condition sets the family on a dangerous course.
The film is being produced by Oscar champs Iain Canning and Emile Sherman (“The King’s Speech”), just as Joanna Laurie of See-Saw Films and Christophe Spadone (“The Father”) close by Zeller. Film4 are co-financing. Shooting is required to begin in the coming weeks.
“Vanessa Kirby is for me a very great actress: intense, inventive and powerful. I am especially happy to take her on this cinematic adventure,” said Zeller.
Laurie added that the project “holds a mirror up to our families and our emotions and we’re very excited to add Vanessa to the already exceedingly talented cast of Hugh Jackman and Laura Dern in bringing this story to life.”
Notwithstanding her Oscar nod for “Pieces of a Woman,” Kirby won the Volpi Cup for best entertainer as the 2020 Venice Film Festival. She acquired worldwide praise for her depiction of Princess Margaret in “The Crown,” winning a BAFTA Award for best supporting entertainer. Her movie credits incorporate “Mission: Impossible – Fallout” and the Fast universe side project “Hobbs and Shaw.” She is additionally an Ian Charleston Award champ for her jobs in “Three Sisters” and “Uncle Vanya.” Kirby’s upcoming projects include “Suddenly” from writer-director Thomas Bidegain, in which she will star with Jake Gyllenhaal.
Worldwide deals on “The Son” are being handled by Cross City Films and Embankment, with Cross City Films and CAA Media Finance co-repping U.S. rights.
Kirby is addressed by CAA and Hamilton Hodell and Gregory Slewett at Ziffren Brittenham, and oversaw by Linden Entertainment. Florian Zeller is addressed by CAA.
Zeller is rolling off “The Father” which won two BAFTAs and a couple of Oscars for adjusted screenplay and leading actor for Sir Anthony Hopkins. “The Father” likewise procured Oscar nominations for best picture, editing, production design and supporting actress.