VIDEO: Meet the Cast of SHORT TERM 12 - John Gallagher Jr and More, Plus Trailer!

Winner of the Grand Jury and Audience Awards at the 2013 South by Southwest Film Festival, Destin Daniel Cretton's Short Term 12 is warmly empathetic look at a facility for at-risk teenagers, told through the eyes of the home's counselors (played by Brie Larson, John Gallagher Jr. and Rami Malek) and their young charges. Short Term 12 opens on August 23rd. Click below to watch the trailer, and scroll down to learn more aobut the actors and the roles they play!

BRIE LARSON (Grace)

In SHORT TERM 12, Brie plays Grace, the home's complex, thick-skinned supervisor who encourages the teens in her charge to communicate and express their emotions, but has conditioned herself to suppress her own. Brie is perhaps best known for her role in last year's hugely successful 21 Jump Street and her portrayal of Kate on Showtime's "The United States of Tara." She has also appeared in Edgar Wright's SCOTT PILGRIM VS. THE WORLD, Noah Baumbach's GREENBERG, Gary Winick's 13 GOING ON 30, and Oren Moverman's RAMPART. Brie will also be appearing in this summer's THE SPECTACULAR NOW, directed by James Ponsoldt, and DON JON, directed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt.

John Gallagher Jr. (Mason)

In SHORT TERM 12, John plays Mason, Grace's warm, understanding, and supportive boyfriend and colleague. Mason serves as the home's resident storyteller and occasional goofball, and is invaluable to both the kids and Grace as a glimmer of hope for what's possible in terms of recovery and breaking negative cycles. Currently starring as 'Jim Harper' opposite Jeff Daniels and Emily Mortimer on Aaron Sorkin's HBO hit "The Newsroom," John has also appeared in such films as Kenneth Lonergan's MARGARET, Woody Allen's WHATEVER WORKS and Peter Hedges' PIECES OF APRIL. He was a member of the original Broadway casts of David Lindsay-Abaire's Rabbit Hole, Green Day's American Idiot, Jez Butterworth's Jerusalem and Spring Awakening, for which he won a Tony Award.

KAITLYN DEVER (Jayden)

In SHORT TERM 12, Kaitlyn plays Jayden, a brooding, quick-witted 15 year old with a bad attitude and suppressed vulnerability, but triggers in Grace reminders of herself and painful memories. Kaitlyn has appeared in such films as BAD TEACHER and J. EDGAR, such television series as "Modern Family," "Private Practice," "Party Down," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," a recurring character on FX's "Justified," and a series regular on ABC's "Last Man Standing" with Tim Allen. Kaitlyn also appears alongside SHORT TERM 12 castmate Brie Larson in this summer's THE SPECTACULAR NOW.

RAMI MALEK (Nate)

In SHORT TERM 12, Rami plays Nate, the inexperienced new counselor at the home, learning by doing (and following Grace and Mason's lead), who serves as the audience's fresh eyes and ears. Perhaps best known as Merriel 'Snafu' Shelton on HBO's Emmy award-winning "The Pacific," Rami recently appeared in Paul Thomas Anderson's The Master alongside Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joaquin Phoenix and Amy Adams (he playEd Hoffman's character Lancaster Dodd's son-in-law), and has also starred in both NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM films and the latest TWILIGHT installment, BREAKING DAWN - PART 2. Later this year, he can be seen in David Lowery's Sundance award-winner AIN'T THEM BODIES SAINTS (Opening Night - BAMcinemaFest), Spike Lee's adaptation of the acclaimed Korean thriller OLDBOY and the videogame adaptation NEED FOR SPEED.

KEITH STANFIELD (Marcus)

In SHORT TERM 12, Keith's feature film debut, he plays Marcus, a quiet and guarded teen at the home. Though emotionally impenetrable to most at Short Term 12, Marcus is able to articulate his hurt and emotion to Mason in a memorable sequence midway through the film via a hip-hop song (which Stanfield wrote himself, along with a song that accompanies the closing credits). Keith is the only actor to return from director Destin Cretton's original 2009 short film version of SHORT TERM 12.

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