Jungle Book actor Giancarlo Esposito has signed on for a supporting role in Disney’s Stargirl. According to Deadline, Other new additional members to the cast include Disney Channel star Karan Brar (Bunk’d), Darby Stanchfield (Scandal) and Maximiliano Hernandez (Captain America: The Winter Soldier). The film, which will be debut on Disney’s upcoming streaming service, stars Grace VanderWaal as the titular character and Graham Verchere as Leo.
Esposito will play Archie, who is described as a Paleontologist who is a friend to Stargirl and Leo. Brar will play Leo’s best friend Kevin, while Stanchfield will play Gloria, Leo’s mom; and Hernandez will play Mr. Rabineau, a teacher at the kid’s school.
Originally published in 2000, Stargirl tells the story of a strange girl, formerly home-schooled, and how she took her high school by storm with her eccentric behavior and eclectic dress sense. The story is told from the viewpoint of Leo, a shy boy who comes to admire Stargirl for her strong sense of individuality and unwillingness to change, even when she is bullied by the most popular girl in school. A New York Times Best Seller upon its initial release, Stargirl won multiple awards, including a place on the American Library Association’s Top Ten Best Books for Teens list.
Stargirl is set to be directed by Julia Hart (Miss Stevens) and will be produced and written by The Departed producer Kristin Hahn. The film is expected to begin production September 24 in Arizona and New Mexico.
