James Badge Dale Boards David Mamet's BLACKBIRD with Cate Blanchett

Deadline reports that James Badge Dale has signed on to join Cate Blanchett in David Mamet's BLACKBIRD, described as "a present-day Hitchcockian nailbiter turning on a secret explanation for the 1963 assassination of U.S. president John F. Kennedy."

Blanchett takes on the role of 'Janet,' who returns for the funeral of her grandfather, a film visual effects artist who secretly worked as a U.S. special ops agent. As her grandfather's secret life becomes a threat to her, she is forced to uncover the truth about his mysterious background. Dale will play a "military major" related to Blanchett.

Dale (Swaino) is currently starring in MCC's SMALL ENGINE REPAIR, and was also recently featured in three major summer films: Shane Black's Ironman 3 oppositeRobert Downey Jr.; Marc Forster's World War Zopposite Brad Pitt; and Gore Verbinski's The Lone Ranger oppositeJohnny Depp. His extensive film credits also include: Flight, opposite Denzel Washington; Shame,opposite Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan; The Grey, opposite Liam Neeson; and the Academy Award winner for Best Picture, The Departed, by Martin Scorsese. For television, James memorably starred in HBO's Emmy Award-winning 10-hour miniseries The Pacific. He also led the cast of the AMC original series "Rubicon," and appeared on the hit FOX series "24." He made his Off Broadway debut in 2003 with The Flea Theatre Company's Getting Into Heaven. Since then, he has returned to the New York stage to work with The New Group and New World Stages. He also recently completed the film Parkland, set for release in Fall 2013, which recounts the dramatic true story of the chaotic events that occurred at Parkland Hospital in Dallas on The Day President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. James is the son of late Broadway, film and television star Anita Morris and two-time Tony Award-winning Director/Choreographer,Grover Dale.

Photo by Walter McBride