Leonor Varela Dons Animal Skins For ‘The Solutrean’; Celyn Jones Joins ‘Submergence’

Leonor Varela has taken a supporting role in Studio 8’s ice age epic The Solutrean from director Albert Hughes. Inspired by the controversial “solutrean hypothesis,” which advances the idea that stone age Europeans might have been among the earliest settlers of the Americas, the coming-of-age tale of survival is set 20,000 years ago. It follows a young boy injured during a hunting expedition and left for dead who must use his skills, intuition and force of will to make it back home. Along the way, he befriends a wolf, who becomes his close companion. Varela is playing the shaman of the boy’s tribe; described as wise, powerful and compelling, she performs religious rituals of protection, healing and thanksgiving. Varela most recently was seen in Paramount’s Captive, opposite Kate Mara, David Oyelowo and Michael Kenneth Williams. Other credits include Ride opposite Helen Hunt and Luke Wilson, a seven-episode arc on TNT’s Dallas, and Odd Thomas with Anton Yelchin and Willem Dafoe. She also appeared in Blade II and The Tailor of Panama. She’s repped by Link Entertainment.

Celyn Jones has joined the cast of Wim Wenders’ Submergence, adapted from the novel by JM Ledgard. Also starring Alicia Vikander and James McAvoy, the film follows the interconnected stories of James (McAvoy), an Englishman held captive by jihadist fighters, and Danny (Vikander), a marine researcher studying the ocean floor near Greenland, as their thoughts are drawn back to the previous Christmas and the chance encounter that led to their romance. Jones will play Danny’s assistant, Thumbs. Jones’ credits include the Dylan Thomas biopic Set Fire to the Stars, Castles in the Sky and the Starz series Da Vinci’s Demons. He’s repped by Thruline Entertainment, Prosper PR, and Hamilton Hodell.

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