Lauren Ambrose, DC Pierson, Cobie Smulders, Cedric The Entertainer And Tom Arnold Join Grassroots
Lauren Ambrose (Six Feet Under, Can't Hardly Wait), DC Pierson (Mystery Team, Derrick Comedy), Cobie Smulders (How I Met Your Mother), Cedric the Entertainer and Tom Arnold (True Lies) have been cast in writer-director Stephen Gyllenhaal's quirky Seattle-based political comedy Grassroots. They join Jason Biggs and Joel David Moore Full details after the jump.
The news on DC Pierson's casting came from The Wrap. The rest can be gathered from the press release below.
Lauren Ambrose, Cobie Smulders, Cedric the Entertainer and Tom Arnold come aboard writer-director Stephen Gyllenhaal's quirky Seattle-based political comedy, produced by Peggy Rajski
SEATTLE – Lauren Ambrose has joined the cast of the Stephen Gyllenhaal political comedy, GRASSROOTS, produced by Oscar-winner Peggy Rajski. Principal photography is under way in Seattle; Matthew Brady of MRB Productions is executive producing.
The screenplay is based on the Phil Campbell book, "Zioncheck for President," a memoir of the 2001 Seattle City Council election. Campbell, a recently fired reporter, signs on to run the campaign of his eccentric friend, fervent Monorail believer Grant Cogswell.
Ambrose, best known for her Emmy-nominated performance on HBO's popular, critically acclaimed dark comedy SIX FEET UNDER, will play Emily, Phil's girlfriend, a fellow journalist and Cogswell supporter.
Cobie Smulders, star of the long-running CBS series HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER, will play Clair, a Monorail supporter skeptical of the blundering Cogswell campaign.
Multi-talented renaissance man Cedric the Entertainer (LARRY CROWNE, BARBERSHOP, THE HONEYMOONERS) plays Cogswell's powerful political opponent, incumbent Councilman Richard McIver.
Versatile actor-comedian-sportscaster Tom Arnold (TRUE LIES, GARDENS OF THE NIGHT) picks up the role of Tommy, the sympathetic bartender whose club becomes the cash-strapped campaign's headquarters on election night.
Jason Biggs is already aboard as Phil Campbell, with Joel David Moore as Grant Cogswell.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKERS:
Award-winning director Stephen Gyllenhaal's productions include LOSING ISAIAH with Jessica Lange and Halle Berry; DANGEROUS WOMAN with Debra Winger and David Strathairn; WATERLAND with Jeremy Irons; PARIS TROUT with Ed Harris and Dennis Hopper; and KILLING IN A SMALL TOWN with Barbara Hershey. He also co-wrote and directed HOMEGROWN with Billie Bob Thornton, Hank Azaria, Jamie Lee Curtis and John Lithgow.
Rajski's producing credits include TOWELHEAD, HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS, LITTLE MAN TATE, THE GRIFTERS, MATEWAN, EIGHT MEN OUT and THE BROTHER FROM ANOTHER PLANET. Her collaborations with iconoclastic filmmakers like Jodie Foster, Stephen Frears, Alan Ball and John Sayles have garnered over 40 award nominations including wins at the Independent Spirit Awards and Academy Awards.