In her first major role since starring with Jason Statham in the thriller Parker, actress, singer and former “American Idol” judge Jennifer Lopez has joined Antonio Banderas in the Chilean miner drama The 33, directed by La Misma Luna’s Patricia Riggen.
The rights to the Chilean Miners’ story, who were rescued after being trapped for 69 days underground in a San Jose mine, were picked up by veteran Hollywood producer Mike Medavoy in 2011, who had a screenplay drafted by screenwriters by Mikko Alanne and Jose Rivera with plans to start production in Chile this Fall.
So far, Brazilian actor Rodrigo Santoro (300) and Martin Sheen have also been cast in what is expected to be a large ensemble film with Santoro joining Banderas’ “Super Mario” Sepulveda underground as one of the miners and Sheen playing one of the miner’s fathers. Presumably Lopez will play one of the wives above ground rather than cross-dressing and playing a miner.
The film is being co-produced by Ed McGurn with Chilean entrepreneurs Carlos Eugenio Lavín and Leopoldo Enriquez on board as executive producers.
