“Straight Outta Compton’s” Jason Mitchell and “Boyhood” star Ellar Coltrane have joined the upcoming Barack Obama film “Barry,” Variety has learned exclusively.
“Barry,” which begins shooting later this month, will cover Obama’s college days in New York City.
Vikram Gandhi, who won the 2011 audience award at SXSW for his previous film “Kumare,” is directing. Gandhi is currently a correspondent and producer for the HBO series “Vice.”
The screenplay was penned by Adam Mansbach, who wrote the bestseller “Go the F**k to Sleep.”
“Barry” is being produced by Cinetic Media and Black Bear Pictures, which was behind “The Imitation Game” and the upcoming “Gold” and “Suburbicon.” Producers are Gandhi, Black Bear’s Teddy Schwarzman and Ben Stillman, and Cinetic’s Dana O’Keefe.
The producers announced earlier this month that Devon Terrell and Anya Taylor-Joy would star in “Barry.”
Mitchell most recently played the role of Eazy-E in “Straight Outta Compton.” He will be seen next in Key and Peele’s “Keanu,” which debuted this weekend at SXSW, and has been filming “Kong: Skull Island.”
Coltrane recently wrapped James Ponsoldt’s “The Circle,” starring alongside Emma Watson and Tom Hanks.
Mitchell is represented by UTA, Authentic Talent and Literary Management, and P.J. Shapiro at Ziffren Brittenham LLP. Coltrane is represented by UTA, Cinetic Media and Sloss Eckhouse LawCo.
“Barry” is moving into production a few months after another Obama movie, “Southside With You,” premiered at the Sundance Film Festival. Roadside Attractions and Miramax teamed to buy U.S. rights to “Southside,” which re-creates Michelle and Barack Obama’s first date in 1989.