Newly-minted Oscar winner Ariana DeBose is set to join the cast of Chris Pine’s upcoming directorial debut, “Poolman,” as is Jennifer Jason Leigh.
Together they join a cast that already includes Pine, Annette Bening and Danny DeVito. “Poolman” is described as a mystery and a tribute to Los Angeles and other famous L.A.-set noir films like “Chinatown” and “The Long Goodbye” that also has the “irreverence of ‘The Big Lebowski’ and the affection of ‘La La Land.’”
Plot details are being kept under wraps.
Pine co-wrote the script with Ian Gotler. He’ll also produce with Stacey Sher and “Wonder Woman” director Patty Jenkins. Production hopes to kick off in June in Los Angeles. Stuart Ford’s AGC Studios is fully financing the project.
DeBose won her Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for portraying Anita in last year’s Steven Spielberg remake of “West Side Story.” She also recently was set as the host of the upcoming Tony Awards, and she’ll also appear in the fourth season of “Westworld” and the Sony superhero movie “Kraven the Hunter.”
Jennifer Jason Leigh most recently starred in the series “Hunters” and in Lena Dunham’s latest film, “Sharp Stick.”
DeBose is repped by CAA and AC Management. Leigh is repped by CAA and Untitled Entertainment; Pine is repped by CAA, John Carrabino Management and Gendler & Kelly. Bening is repped by CAA and Mark Gochman of Gochman Law Group. DeVito is repped by CAA and Joel Behr of Behr & Abramson. Jenkins is repped by CAA and Sher are repped by CAA and Kevin Marks at Gang, Tyre, Ramer, & Brown. Jensen is repped by WME.
