Australian actor Sam Rechner (“Ruby’s Choice”) has landed a significant role in the untitled Steven Spielberg film loosely based on the director’s youth growing up in Arizona. Rechner will play a high school classmate of the aspiring filmmaker at the center of the story.
Rechner joins the A-list cast that already includes Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Paul Dano, Julia Butters and Gabriel LaBelle.
The film, which currently has newcomer LaBelle set to play a character inspired by a young Spielberg, will explore the lead character’s relationship with his parents across the decades. Williams and Dano will play characters based on Spielberg’s parents, while Rogen will play a character based on Spielberg’s uncle.
Although plot details are being kept under wraps, the project will be the first one Spielberg holds writing credit on since “A.I.” 20 years ago. He will co-write the film with longtime writing partner Tony Kushner, who is also the screenwriter on Spielberg’s upcoming “West Side Story” adaptation. Both men will produce with Kristie Macosko Krieger, with shooting set to begin this summer for an anticipated 2022 release.
Rechner recently appeared in the feature film “Ruby’s Choice” with Jane Seymour, and will be seen on Season 2 of the Amazon Prime Video series “The Wilds,” starring Rachel Griffiths. Rechner’s theater credits include leading roles in productions of “Animal Farm” and “12 Angry Men.”