LINCOLN IN THE BARDO Adds Meryl Streep, Colman Domingo, Bill Hader, Tom Waits
Tom Hanks stars as Lincoln, with Willem Dafoe, Jonathan Bailey and Peter Dinklage also voicing key roles.
Starburns Industries has announced that award-winning actors Meryl Streep, Colman Domingo, Bill Hader and Tom Waits have joined the voice cast of 'Lincoln in the Bardo,' based on acclaimed author George Saunders' New York Times bestseller and 2017 Booker Prize-winner. Saunders adapted the screenplay, with Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Duke Johnson directing. It was announced earlier that Tom Hanks stars as the 16th President of the United States, Abraham Lincoln, in the live action portion of the film, with acclaimed actors Willem Dafoe, Jonathan Bailey and Peter Dinklage signed on to voice characters Rev Everly Thomas, Hans Vollman and Roger Bevins, respectively. CAA Media Finance and WME Independent are handling sales at the upcoming TIFF: The Market.
The film employs a unique blend of stop-motion animation and live action to explore one of the most intimate moments of Lincoln's life, centering on his relationship with his recently deceased eleven-year-old son. Blending history and imagination, the story unfolds through an unforgettable ensemble of characters – living and dead, historical and invented – to explore themes of love, empathy, and the human capacity for connection in the face of unimaginable grief.
Streep voices four parts in the film, including 'Abigail Blass,' the ghost of a frugal widow who died destitute and alone; 'Elizabeth Crawford,' the ghost of a disoriented, naïve country woman, perpetually molested by another ghost; one of a host of Angels sent to lure the lost souls out of the bardo; and one of a clique of Demons trying to trap Willie Lincoln in the cemetery forever.
Domingo voices 'Thomas Havens,' the ghost of a former slave who, trying to make up for a life of passivity, initiates an unusual and history-changing union with President Lincoln.
Hader voices 'Eddie Baron,' a rough, obscene, working-class drinker, who, with his wife, was run over by a carriage while they were out on a bender. Hader also voices one of the Three Rakes - young men who, because they died before they'd ever loved, are frozen in a state of perpetual shallowness and empty activity.
Waits voices 'Jaspar Randall,' the ghost of a former dancehall performer, who has been in the bardo so long he's been reduced to a mere singing smudge on the earth. Waits also voices one of the Demons trying to capture Willie Lincoln.
Three-time Academy Award-winner Streep most recently reprised her iconic role of 'Miranda Priestly' in 'The Davil Wears Prada 2,' and is part of the ensemble cast of Hulu's 'Only Murders in the Building,' returning for its 6th season this fall. Her credits include landmark motion pictures including 'Kramer vs. Kramer,' 'Sophie's Choice,' 'Silkwood' and 'The Iron Lady.' She is repped by CAA and attorneys at Gendler, Kelly Cunningham.
Two-time Oscar and BAFTA Award-nominee Domingo's film credits include 'Rustin' and 'Sing Sing.' He was last seen in Lionsgate 'Michael', that grossed over a billion dollar worldwide', as well as Steven Spielberg's 'Disclosure Day'. He received two Emmy nominations this season for his work in HBO global hit 'Euphoria,' and Netflix's 'The Four Seasons.' He is repped by WME, Liebman Entertainment and attorneys at Schreck Rose Dapello Adams Berlin & Dunham and Wolf Kasteler.
Three-time Emmy Award-winner Hader's credits include his acclaimed HBO comedy 'Barry,' and more than 150 episodes of NBC's 'Saturday Night Live,' where he brought iconic characters to life, including New York nightlife enthusiast 'Stefon.' He is repped by UTA, MGMT Entertainment, Range Partners and attorneys at Toczek Suddleson Law Group.
Oscar-nominated Waits most recently starred in Jim Jarmusch's indie feature 'Father Mother Sister Brother,' which won Best Film at the Venice Film Festival. He also starred in Paul Thomas Anderson's 'Licorice Pizza.' He is repped by UTA, MGMT Entertainment, Range Partners and attorneys at Gang, Tye, Ramer, Brown & Passman.
Johnson, Paul Young and Devon Young Rabinowitz produce the film through Starburns Industries, alongside Hanks and Gary Goetzman producing for Playtone. STEVEN SHARESHIAN, Aaron Mitchell and Saunders are executive producers.
About Starburns Industries
Starburns Industries was founded in 2010, by Duke Johnson, Dino Stamatopoulos, James Fino and Dan Harmon, and is known for its unique artistry in stop-motion and 2D animation. The company recently announced the appointment of industry veteran Paul Young as CEO. Its inaugural project was the Emmy-winning 'Community' Christmas special, 'Abed's Uncontrollable Christmas,' which was written by Stamatopoulos and Harmon and directed by Johnson. The studio earned its first Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations in 2016 for 'Anomalisa,' which Johnson produced and co-directed with Charlie Kaufman, with Mitchell and Fino executive producing and Stamatopoulos producing. The studio's stop-motion series, 'Moral Orel' won two Emmy Awards, and 'Rick and Morty,' which originated at Starburns, likewise won two Emmys.
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