Paul Thomas Anderson Casts Katherine Waterston As 'Inherent Vice' Female Lead

Briefly: More casting news is in for Paul Thomas Anderson's adatpation of Thomas Pynchon's novel Inherent Vice. This time, we've even got a confirmed role to go along with the actor; most of the actors cast so far have been in roles that are speculative, at best.

Anderson has picked Katherine Waterston (daughter of Sam Waterston) to play Shasta Fay Hepworth, once the girlfriend of lead character "Doc" Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix) and now the mistress of real estate mogul Mickey Wolfmann. Shasta leads Sportello into a plot that involves shady deals, kidnapping, violence, and no small amount of general uncertainty. (This likely also means that Reese Witherspoon will be playing Mickey Wolfmann's wife, of whom Shasta is quite suspicious.)

Waterston has had quite a few small and supporting roles, but this is her biggest job to date. And since Anderson has a gift for casting, this will very likely be a role that turns her into a much more in-demand talent. Question is: has PTA beefed up the role for the film? In the novel, Shasta plays a big part, but frequently takes a back seat to other characters. Inherent Vice will shoot this summer for a likely 2014 release through Warner Bros. The cast also includes Benicio Del Toro, Owen Wilson, Jena Malone, Martin Short, Josh Brolin, and (reportedly) Sean Penn. [Deadline]