Loading...
Follow Zap2it:
Joel Edgerton joins 'Gatsby' in Ben Affleck's place
Australian actor Joel Edgerton joins Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan and Tobey Maguire as the newest addition to Baz Luhrmann's "The Great Gatsby." Deadline reports that he will replace Ben Affleck in the role of Tom Buchanan, which Affleck dropped out of to directed "Argo." Based on the classic F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, Edgerton's character will come toe-to-toe with DiCaprio's Gatsby, who is in love with his wife Daisy (Mulligan). Isla Fisher will fill the role of Buchanon's mistress, Myrtle -- Love triangles galore! Maguire will be playing Daisy's cousin and story narrator, Nick Carraway.
Luhrmann says of the newest addition: "In casting Tom one had to find an actor who could credibly be (as Fitzgerald describes him) 'one of the most powerful ends that ever played football at New Haven,' had five-star acting chops and in the big dramatic showdown scenes between Gatsby and Tom, hold the screen against Leonardo DiCaprio, in the appropriate age group. Any wonder, it has been a long and thorough journey."
Entertainment Weekly has a first look at Edgerton in character.
Edgerton previously held the small role of a young Uncle Owen in "Star Wars: Episode III -- Revenge of the Sith," amongst a bevy of smaller film performances. He will star opposite Tom Hardy this September in "Warrior."
What do you think? Does Edgerton have what it takes to give Leo a run for his money?
Follow Zap2it on Twitter and Zap2it on Facebook for the latest news and buzz
Photo/Video credit: Getty Images
Related Content
Zap2it Elite Sheet Must Reads from the Web's In-Crowd
Advertisement
What's Hot Right Now
Sign in to connect with Zap2it:
Rewards Challenge Members
Top Users from the Past Week | All-time
Zap2it Elite Sheet
Must Reads from the Web's In-Crowd
Featured Partners
Feedback | Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | License Our Content | Media Kit | About Us | Zap2it Blog
©2012 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
They better do the book justice. It was the best novel ever written in American literature.
One of the few books I enjoyed reading in highschool. Excited for the movie. Although I am bummed Ben dropped out. I don't know anything about this new guy...
Joel will be perfect as Tom!!!!! He starred in last years "Animal Kingdom", a gritty, violent Australian movie about the Melbourne mob-underground and was fab. He'll do beautifully in the Gatsby.
I know Edgerton from a small British film called Kinky Boots (and no, it's not one of those kinds of movies). It was really cute and he gave a solid performance.
The bigger role in Gatsby is definitely a step up. Good for him !
No way this is better than the Scorsese/Vinny Chase collaboration.