December 22, 2010 — Jack Huston, Jamie Harris, Billy Zane and Richard Portnow recently added for a full house.
Producer Julia Verdin (“Stander,” Merchant of Venice”) and Director Bernard Rose (“Mr. Nice,” “Immortal Beloved”) have joined together to collaborate on the indie drama “Two Jacks.” They’ve brought in Jack Huston to star along with Danny Huston, Sienna Miller and Jacqueline Bisset. “Green Hornet’s” Jamie Harris, Billy Zane and Richard Portnow (“Law Abiding Citizen”) have joined the cast and are currently filming in Los Angeles.
Jack Huston has recently created quite a splash playing ‘Richard Harrow’ in HBO’s “Boardwalk Empire” currently airing, ‘Royce King’ in “Twilight – The Eclipse,” he will shortly be seen as ‘Graham Plinston’ in “Mr. Nice,” has just wrapped indie film “The Hot Potato” with Ray Winstone and will next star in “The Twilight Zone” to be directed by David Chase.
Jamie Harris will next be seen playing ‘Pop Eye’ in Columbia’s “The Green Hornet” – with Cameron Diaz, Seth Rogen and Christoph Waltz and also as ‘Patrick Lane’ in “Mr. Nice” – this is his third feature with Rose. He also just finished playing ‘Roy’ in “Rise of the Apes” for Fox studios. Jamie is the son of legendary actor Richard Harris.
Produced under the Rough Diamond Productions banner, “Two Jacks” is based on the Leo Tolstoy short story “Two Hussars,” Rose has adapted the screenplay resetting it in Hollywood and will direct. The film marks Verdin’s first collaboration with long time friend Rose, and his 3rd film based on the Tolstoy’s short stories. Danny Huston has starred in all of them, and is also Executive Producer for “Two Jacks.”
“Two Jacks” tells the story of a legendary film director (Danny Huston) who returns to Hollywood to earn financing for his new project. A series of wild adventures take place upon his return, in which he ruffles some feathers, seduces a beautiful woman (Sienna Miller) and fights with studio execs but eventually wins the money he needs to make his film in a poker game. The focus shifts forward to years later when the director’s son (Jack Huston) as he attempts to follow in his father’s directorial footsteps. Jamie Harris plays the role of ‘Colin,’ the hapless director who ‘Lorenzo,’ the studio head (Richard Portnow) takes advantage of and wins Colin’s hard earned director’s fees off him at Poker. Jacqueline Bisset graces the screen as Diana years on, and Billy Zane as Movie Star ‘Max Faraday,’ Izabella Miko, and international supermodel and actress Lydia Hearst jumped on board to play cameo’s in support of their friends venture.
British Producer Julia Verdin has established herself as one of Hollywood’s leading independent Producers. Her credits include over 27 feature films such as the Lionsgate recent release “The Least Among You” starring Oscar® winner Lou Gossett Jr., NAACP winner Cedric Sanders and Lauren Holly and Sundance sensation “Stander released” by Newmarket starred Thomas Jane and Deborah Unger. Julia served as Executive producer on “The Merchant of Venice” starring Al Pacino, Jeremy Irons and Joseph Fiennes, which released to great critical acclaim by Sony Classics.
Bernard Rose and Julia Verdin are also developing another movie to be shot later next year. “We have had a wonderful experience working together and we plan Two Jacks to be the first of many! Between us we have a lot of great talent relationships and a great production team who really enjoy this style of filmmaking -it is very collaborative and has been a great experience for all,” Verdin said.
On the slate for 2011 for Rough Diamond Productions are “Romeo Spy” which will be Julia’s 2nd Collaboration with Director Bronwen Hughes since “Stander,” and “Catwalk” to be directed by Anthony Hickox – a thriller about the cut-throat world of fashion where beauty is the beast.
Link: http://www.prbuzz.com/entertainment/49622-julia-verdin-bernard.html