After landing two-time Oscar nominee Bruce Beresford (Driving Miss Daisy) to helm the film in May, the Buddy Holly biopic Clear Lake has begun expanding its cast with the additions of Colin Hanks (Jumanji: The Next Level), Diane Guerrero (Doom Patrol) and Nelly (The Longest Yard), according to The Hollywood Reporter.
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Clear Lake will open with Holly’s teen years, then portray his 1958 Biggest Show of Stars tour with Clarence Collins, founder of Little Anthony & the Imperials, as they broke racial barriers by performing together across the U.S. in 1958. The biopic will follow Holly’s musical ties with Little Richard, Dion, Lavern Baker, and other pop music pioneers while also bridging to Holly meeting his future bride, Maria Elena Holly. The movie will include the fateful decision to sign onto the 1959 Winter Dance Party tour that ended with a plane crash new Clear Lake, Iowa on February 3, 1959, with The Spanish Princess‘ Ruairi O’Connor set to star in the central role.
The Orange is the New Black alum has signed on to star as Maria Elena Holly, the widow of the iconic rock and roll star while the Life in Pieces vet is set to portray Norman Petty, Holly’s manager and producer, and the three-time Grammy winner will play the Father of Rock ‘N Roll Chuck Berry.
Holly’s widow, Maria Elena Holly, serves as an associate producer for Clear Lake. The project is based on a screenplay by Patrick Shanahan who adapted French and Stephen Easley’s original story. Production is expected to begin in Fall 2020, pending sufficient safety precautions.
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Clear Lake is produced by French and Shanahan’s Raleigh-based Prix Productions in association with Stuart Benjamin Productions and BMG. Alongside Maria Elena Holly, Stephen Easley, general counsel to Ms. Holly and The Buddy Holly Educational Foundation, and Peter Bradley Jr. of The Buddy Holly Educational Foundation, serve as associate producers. Shanahan also serves as co-producer.
(Photo Credits: Getty Images)
