'Creed's' Tessa Thompson Eyed to Join Natalie Portman, Gina Rodriguez in 'Annihilation' (Exclusive)

Hot off the success of “Creed,” rising star Tessa Thompson is being eyed to join Oscar winner Natalie Portman and Golden Globe winner Gina Rodriguez in Alex Garland‘s “Annihilation,” multiple individuals familiar with the Paramount project have told TheWrap.

Paramount had no comment, while representatives for Thompson wouldn’t confirm at this time.

Scott Rudin is producing the adaptation of Jeff VanderMeer’s novel, which follows a group of women who take on a dangerous mission where the laws of nature don’t apply.

The group consists of an anthropologist; a surveyor; a psychologist who serves as the group’s de facto leader; and a biologist, who serves as the narrator.

Also Read: How 'Creed' Director Ryan Coogler Brought 'Rocky' Back to Life

Thompson is weighing several offers in the wake of “Creed,” though she’s in early talks for “Annihilation,” which is expected to start production this spring.

Thompson starred in Justin Simien‘s “Dear White People” before landing a supporting role in Ava DuVernay‘s “Selma.” Her TV credits include “Veronica Mars” and BBC America’s “Copper,” and she’ll soon be seen on HBO’s “Westworld.”

Thompson is represented by Greene & Associates Talent Agency, Mosaic and Jackoway Tyerman.

16 White Actors Miscast in Nonwhite Roles, From Mickey Rooney to Emma Stone (Photos)

Katharine Hepburn in "Dragon Seed" (1944)
Caucasian Hepburn played a Chinese woman in this big-screen adaptation of the Pearl S. Buck novel.
MGM
Marlon Brando in "The Teahouse of the August Moon" (1956)
Brando starred as an Okinawan translator for the U.S. Army in this comedy about the American occupation of the island nation.
MGM
John Wayne in "Conquerer" (1956)
Wayne was cast as Mongol conquerer Genghis Khan in what's considered by many to be one of the worst films of all time.
RKO Radio Pictures
Charlton Heston in "Touch of Evil" (1958)
Heston starred as Ramon Miguel Vargas in the 1958 crime film, a Mexican narcotics officer.
Universal
Mickey Rooney in "Breakfast at Tiffany's" (1961)
More caricature than character, Rooney starred as the buck-toothed, Japanese Mr. Yunioshi in the 1961 film, which has faced volumes of criticism since.
Paramount Pictures
Natalie Wood in "West Side Story" (1961)
Wood plays a Puerto Rican teenager in the 1961 musical film, although she was Russian-American in real life.
United Artists
Laurence Olivier in "Othello" (1965)
Not only did the white actor play a Moor in 1965's "Othello," he did so while wearing blackface.
Warner Bros.
Al Pacino in "Scarface" (1983)
Pacino plays a Cuban gangster in the 1983 film, and many criticized his over-the-top accent as offensive.
Universal
Anthony Hopkins in "Mask of Zorro" (1998)
Welsh actor Hopkins starred as the Spanish Zorro, a.k.a. Don Diego de la Vega, in the 1998 film.
Tristar
Rob Schneider in "50 First Dates" (2004)
Schneider seems to play a different ethnicity in every Adam Sandler movie. In "The Waterboy" he was the "You can do it!" guy, in "Big Daddy," he was a Middle-Eastern deliveryman, and in "50 First Dates," he plays a native Hawaiian. Badly.
Columbia Pictures
Mike Myers in "The Love Guru" (2008)
Myers played an Indian-American guru in the roundly panned movie, in which he dressed up a lot of racist jokes in a terrible accent.

See Video: Mike Myers Was ‘Super Proud’ Standing Next to Kanye West When He Dissed George W. Bush
Paramount
Every character from "21" (2008)
The movie follows a group of math students who come up with a card counting strategy to win big in Vegas. While the movie had a predominantly white cast, the real life MIT students were all Asian-American.
Sony
Jake Gyllenhaal in "Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time" (2010)
Gyllenhaal plays a Middle-Eastern prince in the film, which many called "insulting" and "the perfect example of whitewashing."

Also Read: Jake Gyllenhaal in Talks to Join Benedict Cumberbatch in ‘The Current War’
Disney
Johnny Depp in "Lone Ranger" (2013)
Like Mara, Johnny Depp played a Native American in Disney's film, which sparked outrage among fans and critics despite the actor's claims that his great-grandmother had mostly Cherokee blood.

Also Read: Disney CFO: ‘Lone Ranger’ Flop Shows Non-Franchise Movies Need to Cost Less
Disney
Rooney Mara in "Pan" (2015)
Mara was cast as Tiger Lily, a Native American, in the 2015 film based on the Peter Pan story.

Also Read: Rooney Mara in Negotiations to Play Tiger Lily in Warner Bros.’ ‘Pan’
Warner Bros.
Emma Stone in "Aloha" (2015)
Stone played a Chinese/Swedish/Hawaiian woman in this critically and commercially disappointing Cameron Crowe romantic comedy.

Also Read: Cameron Crowe Apologizes for Emma Stone’s Asian ‘Aloha’ Character: ‘Was Based on a Real-Life, Red-Head Local’
Sony