TWO-TIME ACADEMY AWARD® NOMINEE JACKI WEAVER TO STAR OPPOSITE NAOMI WATTS AND ANDREW LINCOLN IN “PENGUIN BLOOM”
Rachel House, Leeanna Walsman and Lisa Hensley round out its supporting cast.
LOS ANGELES, CA (July 31, 2019) – Jacki Weaver (SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK, ANIMAL KINGDOM), will star opposite Academy Award® nominated actress Naomi Watts (THE IMPOSSIBLE, 21 GRAMS) and Andrew Lincoln (THE WALKING DEAD, LOVE ACTUALLY), in PENGUIN BLOOM, the upcoming adaptation of Bradley Trevor Greive’s (BTG) and Cameron Bloom’s international bestseller. The film, directed by Glendyn Ivin (THE CRY, SAFE HARBOR) and written by Shaun Grant (SNOWTOWN, BERLIN SYNDROME) and Harry Cripps (THE DRY), will commence production in August, in Sydney, Australia. Watts will also serve as producer alongside Emma Cooper and Made Up Stories’ Bruna Papandrea, Jodi Matterson and Steve Hutensky.
Weaver will portray Jan, the mother of Sam Bloom (Watts), in this incredible true story of a young family struggling to come to terms with a near-fatal accident that left Sam paralyzed. As they learn to adjust to her new situation, an unlikely ally entered their lives in the form of an injured Magpie chick. The family dubbed her ‘Penguin.’ Featuring the deeply personal images of photographer Cameron Bloom (Lincoln) and an inspiring narrative from BTG, the story is a reminder that angels come in all shapes and sizes.
Said Watts, “Having been a huge fan of Jacki’s for such a long time, it is beyond exciting to have her join our incredible cast to tell this heart-warming story.”
THOR: RAGNAROK star Rachel House, also joins the cast, playing Kiwi Kayak coach, Gaye Hatfield. Leeanna Walsman (7 TYPES OF AMBIGUITY) and Lisa Hensley (WONDERLAND) round out the supporting cast alongside Australian newcomers Griffin Murray-Johnston, Felix Cameron and Abe Clifford-Barr, after a nationwide search to find the Bloom children.
Cameron, Sam Bloom and BTG will also executive produce alongside Ricci Swart, Sonia Amoroso, George Kekeli and Meryl Metni.
PENGUIN BLOOM is a Made Up Stories production. Major production investment from Screen Australia. Financed with support from Create NSW. ANZ distribution by Roadshow. Endeavor Content is handling worldwide rights.
Weaver is known internationally for her performances in ANIMAL KINGDOM and SILVER LINING PLAYBOOK, which both earned her Oscar® nominations for Best Supporting Actress. She is currently portraying “Lillian” on the US drama series PERPETUAL GRACE, LTD and most recently completed filming on STAGE MOTHER and the forthcoming ZEROVILLE for James Franco.
In addition to currently portraying “Gretchen Carlson” in Showtime’s Roger Ailes saga, THE LOUDEST VOICE, two-time Oscar® nominee Watts will next be seen starring in LUCE and THE WOLF HOUR. She is also currently shooting the prequel to GAME OF THRONES.
Lincoln is best known to audiences for his roles in AMC’s highly-acclaimed series THE WALKING DEAD, LOVE ACTUALLYand the popular British television series TEACHERS. He will reprise his role as “Rick Grimes” in the forthcoming THE WALKING DEAD films. Lincoln is represented by CAA and Markham, Froggatt and Irwin and attorney Geoffry Oblath.
Originally from New Zealand, House rose to international fame after portraying “Paula” in the highly acclaimed HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE from director Taika Waititi. She most recently completed filming the Australian TV series STATELESS, opposite Cate Blanchett and the upcoming Australian feature BELLBIRD.
Penguin Bloom is available in Australia and New Zealand (via ABC Books), the UK (via Canongate Books), and in the USA and Canada it was published by Atria Books as Penguin the Magpie in April 2017.
Ten Percent of the book’s worldwide royalties are being donated to leading spinal cord injury research charities, including SpinalCure Australia, Wings for Life and the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation.
www.penguinthemagpie.com @penguinthemagpie #penguinthemagpie #penguinbloom
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