EXCLUSIVE: Jacki Weaver, Timothy Simons and Claire Holt have joined the cast of Stephanie Laing’s romantic drama Irreplaceable You. The Walking Dead’s Alanna Masterson, Merritt Weaver (Nurse Jackie), Erin Richards (Gotham) and Brian Tyree Henry (Atlanta) also star in the pic alongside Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Michiel Huisman, Christopher Walken and Steve Coogan.
Story focuses on Abbie and Sam, soulmates since the age of 8, who were destined to be together forever until death got in the way. Abbie tries to teach Sam how to live while an unlikely friend tries to teach Abbie how to die.
Former Veep director and exec producer Laing, who is currently an exec producer on HBO’s Vice Principles, directs from a script penned by Bess Wohl. The project, which is currently in production in New York, is produced by Jonathan Tropper (This Is Where I Leave You) and Farah Abushwesha (Don’t Hang Up), the latter of whom first collaborated with Laing by producing some episodes of Laing’s female-driven online comedy network Pypo.
The Exchange is handling international rights on the pic, which was introduced at the Toronto Film Festival last year.
Jacki Weaver has been nominated twice for an Oscar for her roles in Animal Kingdom and Silver Linings Playbook. She was recently cast in Jake Scott’s The Burning Woman alongside Christina Hendricks and Sienna Miller. Simons is no stranger to Laing, having starred in Veep since 2012. He’s recently starred in Gold alongside Matthew McConaughey and Christine with Rebecca Hall.
Aussie actress Holt is best known for starring in CW’s The Vampire Diaries as well as its spin-off The Originals. She’s recently starred in features The Divorce Party and 47 Meters Down and has been cast alongside Frank Grillo for Wolf in the Wild. Masterson is best known for her role as Tara in AMC’s hit series The Walking Dead and has had roles in the series Mistresses and feature pic Peach Plum Pear.
Jacki Weaver is repped by ICM, Elevate Entertainment and Felker Toczek Suddleson. Simons is repped by UTA, Brillstein Entertainment and Danis Panaro Nist Talent. Holt is repped by WME and Management 360 while Masterson is repped by TalentWorks, Masterson Management and LB Talent. Merritt Weave is repped by Viking Entertainment and Innovative Artists; Richards by WME, Magnolia Entertainment and Curtis Brown Group; and Henry by CAA and JWS Entertainment.