America Ferrera has landed a role opposite Matthew McConaughey in The Lost Bus, Variety announced on Wednesday.
Soon after the 39-year-old actress confirmed the casting news on Instagram as she shared, ‘I’m honored to be joining the incredible Lost Bus team to tell this true and powerful story.’
The drama is from the Oscar-nominated director Paul Greengrass.
The picture – which is being developed, distributed and produced by Apple Original Films – is based on Lizzie Johnson’s book Paradise: One Town’s Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire.
It details the horrific 2018 California wildfires that claimed over 100 lives and destroyed much of the town of Paradise.
America Ferrera has landed a role opposite Matthew McConaughey in The Lost Bus, Variety announced on Wednesday. Soon after the 39-year-old actress confirmed the casting news on Instagram as she shared, ‘I’m honored to be joining the incredible Lost Bus team to tell this true and powerful story.’ Seen on February 18
McConaughey seen in January on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon
The movie heads into production this spring.
It focuses on Kevin McKay (McConaughey) and Mary Ludwig (Ferrera), a bus driver and teacher who lead a bus full of young schoolchildren through the Camp Fire.
America starred in the blockbuster Barbie as Mattel employee Gloria, a role that has earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress.
She won praise for her powerful speech about the difficulties of being a woman in the picture, a scene where director Greta Gerwig gave her free reign.
She told The New York Times newspaper: ‘Greta asked me, “Why don’t you just tell me what you would say? Write it in your own words. What would you add?”
‘Not every director starts out by inviting actors to rewrite their work. Some of what we talked about made it into the script.’
‘The line, “Always be grateful” came out of that conversation with Greta. She expounded on it adding, “But never forget that the system is rigged.”
America starred in the blockbuster Barbie as Mattel employee Gloria, a role that has earned her an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress
‘There were many versions that we did. We ended in tears. It ended in laughter, it got big, it got small, and I was able to do that because I really trusted Greta to know what would be right for the film.’
The mother-of-two attended the People’s Choice Awards on Sunday and took home the Movie Performance of the Year award for her role in Barbie.
Ferrera accepted the award from Billie Eilish, singer of What Was I Made For on the the Barbie soundtrack.
Also nominated for the award were stars like Natalie Portman and Melissa McCarthy.
