Principal photography has begun on the Studio 8 drama, "White Boy
Rick", which is being produced by LBI Entertainment and Protozoa
Pictures. Based on true events, "White Boy Rick" is set in 1980s
Detroit
at the height of the crack epidemic and the War on Drugs, and tells the
moving story of a blue-collar father and his teenage son, who became an
undercover informant and later a drug dealer, before he was dropped by
his handlers and sentenced to life in prison.
The film stars newcomer
Richie Merritt as Ricky Wershe Jr., and Oscar® winner
Matthew McConaughey ("Dallas Buyers Club," "The Dark Tower") as Ricky's father, Richard Wershe Sr.
15-year-old
Richie Merritt was discovered in
Baltimore
during an extensive nationwide talent search. Hailing from a similar
socioeconomic background as Wershe, Merritt's natural talent, charisma
and authenticity impressed the filmmakers, as well as his chemistry with
Matthew McConaughey who plays his father.
The film also features Oscar® nominee
Jennifer Jason Leigh ("Hateful Eight") and
Rory Cochrane ("Black Mass") as the FBI agents who begin working with Rick as a confidential informant, and
Brian Tyree Henry (FX's "
Atlanta") as narcotics detective Officer Jackson; two-time Oscar® nominee
Bruce Dern ("
Nebraska," "The Hateful Eight") as Rick's grandfather, Ray Wershe; three-time Oscar® nominee
Piper Laurie
("Carrie," "Children of a Lesser God") as Rick's grandmother, Verna
Wershe; BAFTA nominee Bel Powley ("Diary of a Teenage Girl") as Rick's
sister, Dawn;
Jonathan Majors ("Hostiles") as
Johnny Curry; Rapper YG ("Blame It on the Streets") as
Leo Curry; RJ Cyler ("Me and Earl and the Dying Girl") as
Rudell Curry;
Taylour Paige (VH1's "Hit the Floor") as Cathy Volsan; and
Kyanna Simone Simpson ("Fist Fight") as Brenda.
"White Boy Rick" is directed by
Yann Demange ("'71"), from an original screenplay by Logan &
Noah Miller with revisions by writers
Andy Weiss,
Scott Silver, and
Steve Kloves. The film is being produced by
John Lesher ("Birdman," "Black Mass"),
Julie Yorn ("Hell or High Water," "The Other Woman"),
Darren Aronofsky ("Jackie," "Noah") and
Scott Franklin ("Jackie," "Black Swan"). Executive producers are
Georgia Kacandes,
Ari Handel,
Matthew Krul,
Christopher Mallick,
Michael J. Weiss,
Logan Miller and
Noah Miller.
Born in
Paris and raised in
London, Demange made his directorial film debut in 2014 with the critically acclaimed drama "'71" starring
Jack O'Connell, which followed a young British soldier who is accidentally abandoned by his unit following a riot on the streets of
Belfast
in 1971. The film was nominated for a BAFTA for Outstanding Debut and
earned Demange the British Independent Film Award for Best Director.
The behind the scenes team includes director of photography Tat Radcliffe ("'71," "Pride"), production designer
Stefania Cella ("Black Mass," "Downsizing"), costume designer
Amy Westcott ("Nightcrawler," "Black Swan"), and editor
Chris Wyatt ("'71," "This is
England").
"White Boy Rick" will film primarily on location in
Cleveland through early June with a couple of days in
Detroit and
Las Vegas. The film is scheduled for release through Sony Pictures on
January 12, 2018.rincipal photography has begun on the Studio 8 drama, "White Boy
Rick", which is being produced by LBI Entertainment and Protozoa
Pictures. Based on true events, "White Boy Rick" is set in 1980s
Detroit
at the height of the crack epidemic and the War on Drugs, and tells the
moving story of a blue-collar father and his teenage son, who became an
undercover informant and later a drug dealer, before he was dropped by
his handlers and sentenced to life in prison.
The film stars newcomer
Richie Merritt as Ricky Wershe Jr., and Oscar® winner
Matthew McConaughey ("Dallas Buyers Club," "The Dark Tower") as Ricky's father, Richard Wershe Sr.
15-year-old
Richie Merritt was discovered in
Baltimore
during an extensive nationwide talent search. Hailing from a similar
socioeconomic background as Wershe, Merritt's natural talent, charisma
and authenticity impressed the filmmakers, as well as his chemistry with
Matthew McConaughey who plays his father.
The film also features Oscar® nominee
Jennifer Jason Leigh ("Hateful Eight") and
Rory Cochrane ("Black Mass") as the FBI agents who begin working with Rick as a confidential informant, and
Brian Tyree Henry (FX's "
Atlanta") as narcotics detective Officer Jackson; two-time Oscar® nominee
Bruce Dern ("
Nebraska," "The Hateful Eight") as Rick's grandfather, Ray Wershe; three-time Oscar® nominee
Piper Laurie
("Carrie," "Children of a Lesser God") as Rick's grandmother, Verna
Wershe; BAFTA nominee Bel Powley ("Diary of a Teenage Girl") as Rick's
sister, Dawn;
Jonathan Majors ("Hostiles") as
Johnny Curry; Rapper YG ("Blame It on the Streets") as
Leo Curry; RJ Cyler ("Me and Earl and the Dying Girl") as
Rudell Curry;
Taylour Paige (VH1's "Hit the Floor") as Cathy Volsan; and
Kyanna Simone Simpson ("Fist Fight") as Brenda.
"White Boy Rick" is directed by
Yann Demange ("'71"), from an original screenplay by Logan &
Noah Miller with revisions by writers
Andy Weiss,
Scott Silver, and
Steve Kloves. The film is being produced by
John Lesher ("Birdman," "Black Mass"),
Julie Yorn ("Hell or High Water," "The Other Woman"),
Darren Aronofsky ("Jackie," "Noah") and
Scott Franklin ("Jackie," "Black Swan"). Executive producers are
Georgia Kacandes,
Ari Handel,
Matthew Krul,
Christopher Mallick,
Michael J. Weiss,
Logan Miller and
Noah Miller.
Born in
Paris and raised in
London, Demange made his directorial film debut in 2014 with the critically acclaimed drama "'71" starring
Jack O'Connell, which followed a young British soldier who is accidentally abandoned by his unit following a riot on the streets of
Belfast
in 1971. The film was nominated for a BAFTA for Outstanding Debut and
earned Demange the British Independent Film Award for Best Director.
The behind the scenes team includes director of photography Tat Radcliffe ("'71," "Pride"), production designer
Stefania Cella ("Black Mass," "Downsizing"), costume designer
Amy Westcott ("Nightcrawler," "Black Swan"), and editor
Chris Wyatt ("'71," "This is
England").
"White Boy Rick" will film primarily on location in
Cleveland through early June with a couple of days in
Detroit and
Las Vegas. The film is scheduled for release through Sony Pictures on
January 12, 2018.
