If you’ve been reading Film Threat over the past year, chances are you’ve read about Slamdance Film Festival co-founder Dan Mirvish’s latest film Between Us, a project we selected as a Certified Film Threat in Progress, and one that he shared his insights on after successfully crowdfunding. Now his film has made it to the casting stage, Mirvish has got a strong lineup for his film, including Taye Diggs, Julia Stiles, David Harbour and Melissa George. From the official press release:
Bugeater Films today announced that Taye Diggs, Julia Stiles, David Harbour and Melissa George will star in director Dan Mirvish’s upcoming movie, “Between Us,” an adaptation of the hit Off-Broadway play. With a screenplay adapted by original playwright Joe Hortua and Mirvish, “Between Us” is a dark ensemble comedy exploring the bittersweet friendship between two couples who meet as old friends and discover their lives are tarnished by money, sex, success and children. Production is scheduled for May, 2011, with principal photography in Los Angeles.
Melissa George received a Golden Globe nomination for “In Treatment.” George is coming off of a successful year starring in the varied films “Triangle”, “Swinging with the Finkels” and “A Lonely Place to Die.” Her other TV work includes roles on “Alias” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” She’s starred in the features “30 Days of Night,” “Turistas,” “The Limey” and “Mulholland Drive.”
David Harbour was nominated for a Tony for the revival of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” and starred in the original Off-Broadway version of “Between Us.” He just finished a Broadway run of “Merchant of Venice” and costarred in many films including “The Green Hornet,” “Revolutionary Road,” “Quantum of Solace” and the soon to be released “Convincer” which premiered this year at Sundance.
Taye Diggs, winner of two Image awards for “Kevin Hill” and “Private Practice” and a SAG Award for Best Ensemble for “Chicago,” may currently be seen as Dr. Sam Bennett on ABC’s “Private Practice.” He was an original cast member in the hit musical “RENT,” and went on to star in the film version. Other film credits include: “Chicago,” “How Stella Got Her Groove Back,” “Brown Sugar”
and “The Best Man.” This Fall, Diggs’ first children’s book entitled “Chocolate Me” will be published by Macmillan.Julia Stiles is a Golden Globe nominee for Showtime’s “Dexter,” and has starred in the three “Bourne” movies, “10 Things I Hate About You,” “Hamlet,” “State and Main,” “The Business of Strangers,” and “O.”
“It’s an honor to work with these terrific actors, and we’re all very excited to bring this exceptional play to the big screen,” said Mirvish. An award-winning filmmaker, Mirvish is also co-founder of the Slamdance Film Festival and co-author of the critically-acclaimed novel, “I Am Martin Eisenstadt.” Mirvish’s last film, The Weinstein Company’s real estate musical “Open House,” became a cult hit when the Academy Awards® controversially rewrote their rules on original musicals in response to the film.
As a play, “Between Us” was originally commissioned by South Coast Repertory Theatre, and premiered at Manhattan Theatre Club in New York to critical and audience acclaim. The New York Post wrote at the time, “As an anatomy of the compromises life exacts, ‘Between Us’ is sharp as a tack.” A protege of Tony Kushner, Joe Hortua is an award-winning playwright as well as an accomplished television writer (“Leverage,” “Life,” “Cane”).
“We’ve been very fortunate to work with some agents and managers who really appreciated the material and were committed to their clients,” said Mirvish. David Harbour is represented by ICM and Principal Entertainment. Melissa George is represented by ICM and 3 Arts Entertainment. Julia Stiles is represented by ICM and Untitled Management. Taye Diggs is represented at ICM and A Management Company. Joe Hortua is represented by the Paradigm Angecy and RMG Entertainment. The casting director is New Zealand native Alison Buck of the Bohemia Group, based in Los Angeles.
In addition to Mirvish and Hortua, “Between Us” is being produced by Hans Ritter (“Hard Candy,” “Smiley Face,” “Sound of My Voice”), Barry Hennessey (“Open House,” and 3-time Emmy winner for “The Amazing Race”) and Dana Altman (“Lovely, Still,” “Omaha (the movie)”).
