After winning big at this year’s Oscars for “The Father,” Anthony Hopkins and writer-director Florian Zeller are teaming up again for Zeller’s next film “The Son.”
Zeller revealed on Monday that Hopkins had joined the film’s cast, which includes Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern and Vanessa Kirby. Production wrapped on the film earlier this month in London with shooting also taking place in New York and France. Hopkins role has not been disclosed.
“The Son” follows a couple, played by Jackman and Kirby, whose new life with their child is turned upside down when the husband’s ex-wife, played by Dern, shows up with their teenage son, played by Australian newcomer Zen McGrath. Iain Canning and Emile Sherman of See-Saw Films are producing alongside Zeller and ‘The Father’ producer Christophe Spadone.
“After our journey on ‘The Father,’ I couldn’t make another film without Anthony,” Zeller said in a statement. “He was the first one to read ‘The Son’‘s script, as one of its characters was written especially for him. Having him by our side to tell this new story has been an honor, a profound joy and very emotional.”
On casting McGrath, Zeller said he was looking for a “new, unexpected face” to play the key role of the teenage son and was “immediately dazzled by his intensity and his emotional power.”
“The Father” was nominated for six Academy Awards, including Best Picture, for its unflinching look at a man’s struggles with deepening dementia. Zeller, who directed from his stage screenplay, won the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar at this year’s Oscars with writing partner Christopher Hampton, while Hopkins won his second Best Actor Oscar.
Florian Zeller is represented by Agence Adequat and CAA, Zen McGrath is represented by Emma Raciti Management and Artists Rights Group and Anthony Hopkins is represented by Jeremy Barber at United Talent Agency and his legal representative is Mitch Smelkinson.