Sophia Lillis Joins New Line’s ‘It’ Remake; Aunjanue Ellis Sign On To Christine Crokos’ ‘Pimp’
Exclusive: Young actress Sophia Lillis has joined the cast of New Line’s upcoming It, a new adaptation of the classic horror novel by Stephen King previously adapted as am ABC miniseries in 1990. Directed by Andres Muschietti, the film follows a group of teenagers, “the Losers Club”, who find themselves face to face against a terrifying demonic monster taking the form of a clown calling itself “Pennywise” (Bill Skarsgard). Lillis is playing “Beverly,” the only girl member of the Losers Club who in the original novel forms a strong bond with another member that lasts into their adult years. It begins filming in Toronto later this month, with Jaeden Lieberher, Finn Wolfhard, Jack Dylan Grazer, Wyatt Oleff, Chosen Jacobs, Jeremy Ray Taylor, and Owen Teague previously confirmed as part of the film’s cast.
Lillis recently starred in the indie feature 37, which is set on the same day as the notorious murder of Kitty Genovese in New York City. A student of the Lee Strasberg Theater and Film Institute, she appeared in Julie Taymor’s critically-acclaimed re-staging of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at Theatre for a New Audience and its subsequent film release, along with the short films The Garden and Tiny Mammals. She’s repped by Abrams Artists Agency, and Ryan LaVine of the law firm of Jackoway Tyerman Wertheimer Austen Mandelbaum Morris & Klein.
The Help and Birth of a Nation actress Aunjanue Ellis has joined the cast of the upcoming drama Pimp. Young newcomer Paola Lazaro has also joined the film from writer-director Christine Crokos that looks at life for women on the streets of New York amidst the hustles and dangers facing those working in the illegal sex trade. At the center of the film is a love story between a pimp (Keke Palmer), and her girlfriend (Haley Ramm) who dream of a better life and hope to get out of the one they’re in. Ellis will be playing “Gloria Ray”, mother to one of the young girls in the story. Vanessa Morgan also appears as a stripper who causes a rift between the two lead characters.
Filming on Pimp has already started in New York City. Alexis Varouxakis of 1821 Pictures is producing, along with Victoria Bousis, with Charlie Dibe co-producing and Corey Large exectutive producing. Aunjanue Ellis is repped by Andrea Nelson Meigs and Lauren Williams of ICM Partners, Christine Crokos is repped by Untitled Entertainment, Keke Palmer is repped by WME, Hertz Lichtenstein & Young and managed by Laron Entertainment, Ramm is repped by Innovative Artists, Niad Management and McKuin Frankel Whitehead LLP, and Morgan is repped by UTA and managed by Vincent Cirrincione Associates.
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