George Clooney’s latest directorial effort continues to pile on the star power as Cobra Kai star Courtney Henggeler joins the cast of The Boys in the Boat per Deadline. She joins the previously announced cast of Joel Edgerton (The King), Callum Turner (The Last Letter from Your Lover), Jack Mulhern (Mare of Easttown), Sam Strike (EastEnders), Luke Slattery (Late Night), Thomas Elms (The Order), Tom Varey (Ridley Road), Bruce Herbelin-Earle (Free Rein), Wil Coban (Zack Snyder’s Justice League), and Hadley Robinson (Moxie) in the adaptation of Daniel James Brown‘s New York Times bestselling novel of the same name.
The Boys In the Boat is based on the incredible true story of the University of Washington men’s rowing team, a heavy underdog who made waves during the 1936 Berlin Olympics. Led by Coach Ulbrickson (Edgerton), the team pulled off a miracle by winning gold at the games, overcoming extreme adversity in the face of competition that seemed leagues beyond their abilities, and cementing their legacy as one of America’s greatest underdogs. The story focuses on all the tribulations the team members faced as lower-middle-class members of society working through school and sport in the midst of the Great Depression. It also focuses on the rise of Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany and their use of the games to flaunt their might on the world’s stage. Henggeler will take on the role of Ulbrickson’s wife, Hazel.
Mark L. Smith (The Midnight Sky, The Revenant) put the script together for the film based on a previous draft from Chris Weitz. Clooney and his production partner Grant Heslov will produce the underdog story through their company, Smokehouse Pictures, while Spyglass executive produces. It took a while for Clooney to finally get around to adapting The Boys in the Boat, thanks in part to his decision to direct The Tender Bar, but now his cast is coming together in a big way for what should be a heartfelt tale of perseverance and teamwork in the face of overwhelming odds.
Henggeler has proven herself as a multitalented artist in the industry in recent years. Her performances as Amanda LaRusso in Cobra Kai and Sheldon Cooper’s twin sister Missy in The Big Bang Theory marked her as a fan favorite whenever she was on-screen. She’ll have work with the Karate Kid sequel series as Season 5 wrapping filming back in December, though she’s also honing her screenwriting and production skills. She has a few projects in the works, but her only credit on the writing and production end so far is The Secret Life of a Celebrity Surrogate. Outside all that, she’s made appearances on NCIS, Nobody’s Fool, and Friends With Benefits, among others.
The Boys in the Boat has no release window yet, but it’s shaping up to be a gripping tale of tribulation and triumph once it releases.
via Collider