It’s been thirty years since Steve Martin’s George Banks walked Annie down the aisle in The Father of the Bride. Following the cast of the ‘90s comfort film reuniting over Zoom to provide a mini-sequel for fans of the comedy franchise amidst the pandemic last year, a new era is being ushered in from Warner Bros. The studio just took a huge step forward on the Father of the Bride remake by casting Andy Garcia in the lead role.
The Ocean’s Eleven actor will play the father at the center of this new take on the original 1950 film that starred Spencer Tracy. THR has learned that Andy Garcia will be the main star in a Father of the Bride movie that will turn the focus on a Cuban-American family this time around. The 64-year-old actor said this about his casting:
I’m very excited to join The Father of the Bride, a beloved film that has brought so much joy to so many over the years and to represent my Cuban culture and heritage in this story. I commend Warner Bros. for their foresight and celebrate this opportunity they have created.
There's no word yet on who will play Andy Garcia’s wife, kids or cake caterer, but the actor coming aboard certainly signals that the production is actively lining up the cast for the film. The reboot was announced back in September, with Matt Lopez on board to draw from his own experiences with Cuban weddings through the reboot. Lopez has previously written Adam Sandler’s 2008 comedy Bedtime Stories and the live-action Disney films Race to Witch Mountain and The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.
The Father of the Bride remake will additionally be directed by Mexico’s Gary Alazraki, who co-created, executive produced and directed Netflix’s first Spanish language original series, Club de Cuervos. This version of the movie drawing from Cuban-American families is sure to allow the upcoming Father of the Bride differentiate itself from Steve Martin’s famed performance alongside Diane Keaton.
Andy Garcia is Hollywood’s most famous Cuban actor, but the production will undoubtedly be looking for more talent from the island country. Some notable actors from the region include Knives Out breakout star Ana de Armas, Eva Mendes, Bobby Cannavale, The Mandalorian’s Rosario Dawson, LOST’s Nestor Carbonell and Star Wars’ Oscar Isaac. The Father of the Bride could become a great ensemble comedy, and one or more of these actors coming to the wedding would sweeten the deal.
Recently, Andy Garcia has been all about comedies, between his role in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again in 2018 and finding a place in Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar, which came out last month to rave reviews. Garcia doesn’t take the lead very often these days, so it’ll be exciting to see the actor take on the Father of the Bride property.
