Zac Efron And Marcia Gay Harden Cast In JFK Film PARKLAND

Zac Efron (THE PAPERBOY, THE LUCKY ONE) and Oscar winner Marcia Gay Harden (MYSTIC RIVER, POLLOCK) are set to join Oscar nominated Paul Giamatti (THE IDES OF MARCH, CINDERELLA MAN), Oscar winner Billy Bob Thornton (SLING BLADE, EAGLE EYE) and Oscar nominee Jacki Weaver (SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, ANIMAL KINGDOM) in the cast of PARKLAND produced by Playtone partners Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman and Exclusive Media, who will also be financing, it was announced today by Exclusive Media Co-Chairmen Nigel Sinclair and Guy East.

Based on the epic book Reclaiming History: The Assassination of President John F. Kennedy, by renowned author and former prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi, the adapted screenplay is written by award-winning journalist and novelist Peter Landesman, who will also direct PARKLAND marking his directorial debut. PARKLAND recounts the dramatic true story of the chaotic events that occurred at Parkland Hospital in Dallas on the day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated on November 22nd 1963. The film, to be shot in Austin, Texas is destined for a 2013 US theatrical release around the 50th anniversary of the assassination.

“Zac Efron continues to impress us with his recent shift into more dramatic roles which showcase his exceptional acting skills and Marcia Gay Harden is an unparalleled actress who gives tour de force performances in every film she appears. We look forward to seeing their combined talent in Peter Landesman’s powerful and mesmerizing story alongside the excellent cast already attached to this film,” said Guy East and Nigel Sinclair.

Zac Efron is one of Hollywood’s most sought after young actors most recently seen in Lee Daniels’ THE PAPERBOY opposite SAG and Golden Globe nominee Nicole Kidman, John Cusack and Matthew McConaughey and THE LUCKY ONE for Warner Bros. He will next appear with Dennis Quaid in Sony Pictures Classics’ AT ANY PRICE, following its premiere at the Venice and Toronto International Film Festivals. AT ANY PRICE is being repped internationally by Exclusive Media. His other credits include HAIRSPRAY, 17 AGAIN, CHARLIE ST. CLOUD and providing his voice in Universal’s Dr. Seuss’ THE LORAX. He is currently shooting ARE WE OFFICIALLY DATING in NYC for Treehouse Pictures with Miles Teller, Imogen Poots and Michael B. Jordan. Tom Gormican wrote and is directing.

Marcia Gay Harden won an Oscar for her performance in the critically acclaimed POLLOCK opposite Ed Harris and received a subsequent nomination for her role in Clint Eastwood’s MYSTIC RIVER. She also won a Tony Award for her performance in the Broadway hit play, God of Carnage, reprising her role last year in a Los Angeles stage run opposite James Gandolfini, Hope Davis and Jeff Daniels. Her film credits include INTO THE WILD, THE HOAX, SPACE COWBOYS and MILLER’S CROSSING. She will next be seen in GET A JOB co-starring Anna Kendrick, Bryan Cranston and John Cho to be released by CBS Films in 2013 and is currently filming ELSA AND FRED, directed by Michael Radford and co-starring Shirley MacLaine and Christopher Plummer.

Matt Jackson, Exclusive Media’s Head of US Production, will oversee the production on behalf of the company. Exclusive Media is handling the worldwide distribution rights to the film with international led by Alex Walton, President of International Sales and Distribution.

Efron is repped by CAA and Harden is repped by UTA, Framework Entertainment and Schreck Rose.