‘Ocean’s Eight’ Adds Anne Hathaway, Rihanna & Rapper Awkwafina To The Heist
Over the past couple months, the cast of theOcean’s Elevenspin-offOcean’s Eighthas slowly been filling out.Sandra Bullockwas the first name attached to the project, and we later learned that she would be playing Danny Ocean’s sister, who also happens to be a charming ex-con just like her brother. Since then, the cast has addedCate Blanchett,Helena Bonham CarterandMindy Kaling, but now three more names have just been added to the roster.
Deadlinehas learned that Oscar winnerAnne Hathaway, singer and occasional actressRihanna, and Asian-American rapperAwkwafinahave been added to theOcean’s Eightcast. However, that’s only seven of the titular ensemble that have been cast so far, which means there’s still one key role left to fill. We’re not sure if Elizabeth Banks is still in the running or not, but she wasmentioned as a possibilitynot too long ago.
Anne Hathaway hasn’t really taken on a project like this before withGet Smartserving as her only high concept comedy. The same can be said for Rihanna, who has only starred in three films that we’ve seen so far. They includeBattleship, the animated adventureHomeand a cameo as herself inThis Is The End. She’s also part of Luc Besson’sValerian and the City of a Thousand Planets(which made quite a splash at Comic-Con).
As for the third addition, Awkwafina may not be a name you’ve heard of before, but if you sawNeighbors 2: Sorority Rising, then you’ve already seen her in action. She played one of the sisters in the makeshift sorority that moves next door to Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne. She only had a small role, but as a raspy voiced college girl who had no problems smoking weed at every turn, she had some funny moments. you’re able to find out more about herin a profile over at NBC News, and here’s a taste of her comedic rap skills:
Ocean’s Eightwas originally believed to be more of a reboot with a primarily female cast, not unlike the reboot ofGhostbusters. However, since the project was announced, we’ve learned that it will be more of a spin-off with the possibility for some cast members from theOcean’s Eleventrilogy to appear in cameos. George Clooney is the only one mentioned by name since Sandra Bullock is supposed to play his character’s sister, but nothing has been confirmed just yet.The Hunger GamesdirectorGary Rosswill be at the helm of the spin-off, and he’s working closely withOcean’s Elevenproducer Steven Soderbergh to make sure this one has a similar style and tone. The two have been friends for awhile (each working as second unit director on each others' films) and Ross even recently told us how they’re collaborating to bringOcean’s Eightto lifejust a couple of months ago.
Even though this project feels like one that was put into action simply because of theGhostbustersreboot,Ocean’s Eightwas actually in the works for years before Sony Pictures made moves on Paul Feig’s project. However, the death of producer Jerry Weintraub last summer left it sitting dormant for awhile before Ross got a script together with Olivia Milch. But with this prestigious and diverse cast coming together, it sounds like it’s actually coming together. Stay tuned for more.
