Mississippi-born American playwright Tennessee Williams won acclaim for crafting such heartbreaking dramas as A Streetcar Named Desire, The Glass Menagerie and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. His tales of lust, family conflict and Southern discomfort reflected his own life experiences, and now some of these will get the movie adaptation treatment in Lonely Hunter, a biopic about Williams' best friend, author Carson McCullers.
Sucker Punch's Jena Malone will lead the production, playing the Southern author behind The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter. And Variety reports Prometheus's Logan Marshall-Green has signed on to portray her confidante and long-time friend, Tennessee Williams. The indie drama represents a grand opportunity for each. For Malone, a former child star whose been stuck in thankless supporting roles of late, the role of McCullers could prove her breakout as a leading lady of note. As for Marshall-Green, this is a distinct chance to show what he can do within a straightforward drama. Plus, as we've seen with Woody Allen's Midnight in Paris, playing an iconic author—even in a supporting part—is a great way to showcase yours acting chops and win major notice.
Yet to be cast are the sure-to-be-coveted roles of Truman Capote and Gypsy Rose Lee, who filled out McCullers enviable circle of friends. Of course, the snide author of In Cold Blood was memorably portrayed by Philip Seymour Hoffman in Capote and Toby Jones in Infamous in recent years, while burlesque legend turned movie star was famously portrayed by Natalie Wood in the musical reimagining of her life story Gypsy. So, whomever takes on these roles will not only be charged the difficult task of portraying an icon, but also must perform in the shadow of the remarkable talents who have come before them.
It's an incredible feat to which only performers with an incredible skill and bravado need apply. As Lonely Hunter has been co-written and will be helmed by Deborah Kampmeier, the crafter behind the controversial Dakota Fanning drama Hounddog, it's safe to assume this biopic will attract noteworthy actors looking to do something daring, which means this cast could grow incredible. With reports that Full Moon Films and Fork Films are hoping to shoot later this year, we should hear further casting news soon.
