Ariana DeBose & Jennifer Jason Leigh Join Chris Pine’s Directorial Debut ‘Poolman’

Oscar-winner Ariana DeBose and Jennifer Jason Leigh have joined the cast of Chris Pine’s directorial debut Poolman. They join the previously announced cast of Pine, Annette Bening and Danny DeVito.

Stuart Ford’s AGC Studios is fully financing the project, which it launched at EFM earlier this year, and will continue to shop to buyers on the Croisette this week.

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Pine directs from a script he co-write with Ian Gotler, Bening and DeVito. Pine plays Darren Barrenman, a hapless dreamer and would be philosopher who spends his days looking after the pool of the Tahitian Tiki apartment block in sunny Los Angeles and crashing city council meetings with his neighbors Jack and Diane (DeVito and Bening). When Barrenman uncovers the greatest water heist in LA history since Chinatown he makes uneasy alliances with a beautiful and connected femme fatale while following every lead he can with corrupt city officials, burned out Hollywood types and mysterious benefactors – all in the name of protecting his precious Los Angeles.

Pine produces with Stacey Sher and Patty Jenkins. Cinematographer Matthew Jensen has also boarded the title, which is slated to go into production in L.A. in June 2022.

DeBose is fresh of her awards season sweep including the Oscar, SAG, Golden Globe and BAFTA awards for her portrayal of Anita in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story. Her additional credits include Hamilton, The Prom and HBO’s Westworld. She’s also set to host the upcoming Tony Awards.

Oscar-nominated Leigh has worked with a raft of iconic directors such as Quentin Tarantino in The Hateful Eight, Ron Howard for Backdraft, Robert Altman for Short Cuts, Barbet Schroeder for Single White Female and Amy Heckerling for Fast Times At Ridgemont High.

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DeBose is repped by CAA and AC Management. Leigh is repped by CAA and Untitled Entertainment; Pine is repped by CAA, John Carrabino Management and Gendler & Kelly. Bening is repped by CAA and Mark Gochman of Gochman Law Group. DeVito is repped by CAA and Joel Behr of Behr & Abramson. Jenkins is repped by CAA and Sher are repped by CAA and Kevin Marks at Gang, Tyre, Ramer, & Brown. Jensen is repped by WME.

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