Dancy, Hahn, Knight Join Cast Of MY IDIOT BROTHER

Anthony Bregman of Likely Story and Peter Saraf and Marc Turtletaub of Big Beach announced today that Hugh Dancy ("Confessions of a Shopaholic," "Adam"), Kathryn Hahn ("Revolutionary Road," "Step Brothers"), Academy Award-nominated actress Shirley Knight, and Janet Montgomery ("Black Swan"), have joined the cast of the Jesse Peretz directed, "My Idiot Brother," a comedy about family and the sacrifices it takes to deal with them. Currently shooting in New York City the film stars Paul Rudd, Elizabeth Banks, Zooey Deschanel, Emily Mortimer, Rashida Jones and Adam Scott. Jeanne McCarthy is casting the film.

Ned (Rudd) is an idealist. His three sisters (Banks, Deschanel and Mortimer) are ambitious. Ned crashes at each of their homes, in succession, and brings truth, happiness and a sunny disposition into their lives. In other words, he wreaks havoc.

Adding to this cast of characters, Dancy will portray Christian, a pretentious painter friend of Natalie's (Deschanel) who tries to help Ned grow as a person by showing him another path; Hahn will play Janet, Ned's (Rudd) ex-girlfriend who, out of spite, is keeping him from reuniting with his beloved dog Willie Nelson; Knight will portray Ilene, Ned's overbearing and over-nurturing mother, who would be overjoyed if her son moved back home and; Montgomery will portray Arabella, a controversial British aristocrat that Miranda (Banks) is profiling for her magazine, a piece that could provide Miranda with the big break she has looking for.

Per Producer Peter Saraf, "The response to Jesse's vision for the film and the disastrously funny script by Evegenia and David has been amazing, and we could not be more thrilled with the amazing actors that will bring these characters to life."

Written by Evgenia Peretz and David Schisgall, "My Idiot Brother" is being produced by Bregman, Saraf and Turtletaub for their respective companies. Caroline Jaczko, Stefanie Azpiazu and Aleen Keshishian are executive producers.

Hugh Dancy is represented by Gene Parseghian, UTA and United Agents. Kathryn Hahn is represented by Lindsay Porter at The Gersh Agency. Shirley Knight is represented by Philip Adelman at The Gage Group. Janet Montgomery is represented by Innovative Artists and Industry Entertainment.
Likely Story is a New York-based Production Company founded by Anthony Bregman in October 2006. The company recently wrapped production on "The Oranges" starring Hugh Laurie, Catherine Keener, Leighton Meester, Allison Janney, Oliver Platt, Alia Shawkat, Adam Brody and Sam Rosen; directed by Julian Farino and written by Ian Helfer and Jay Reiss. This year, the company premiered Nicole Holofcener's "Please Give" and Robert Pulcini and Shari Springer Berman's "The Extra Man" at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival. "Please Give" was released in April 2010 by Sony Pictures Classics and "The Extra Man" will be released this month by Magnolia Pictures. The company recently signed a first look deal with graphic novel and comic book publisher Tom Shelf Productions. Additional Likely Story productions include Charlie Kaufman's directorial debut "Synecdoche, New York" (Sony Pictures Classics), Alex Rivera's "Sleep Dealer" (Maya Releasing), and David and Alex Pastor's "Carriers" (Paramount Vantage). Bregman's previous producing credits include "Friends with Money," "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," "Lovely & Amazing," "Thumbsucker," "The Tao of Steve," "The Savages," "Trick," "The Ice Storm," "The Brothers McMullen," and "Human Nature."

Founded in 2004 by Marc Turtletaub and Peter Saraf, Big Beach is a New York-based company that produces and finances independent films, documentaries and works for stage. Big Beach's recent films include the upcoming JACK GOES BOATING, the directorial debut of Philip Seymour Hoffman starring Hoffman and Amy Ryan which will be released by Overture on September 17; LUCKY, a documentary about lottery winners directed by Jeff Blitz (Spellbound). Other recent films include Sam Mendes' AWAY WE GO, starring Maya Rudolph and John Krasinski; SUNSHINE CLEANING directed by Christine Jeffs and starring Amy Adams and Emily Blunt and John Crowley's IS ANYBODY THERE? starring Michael Caine. Big Beach's LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE was a critical and box office sensation following its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, where it sold to Fox Searchlight. The dramatic comedy was written by Michael Ardnt and directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris. The film was nominated for four Academy Awards including Best Picture, and won two (Original Screenplay and Supporting Actor).

Photo Credit: Walter McBride/Retna Ltd.

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