There has long been a fascination with James Dean. We’ll be one of those who admit that even though we may not have watched his movies, we’re fascinated. We’re going to learn more, as the planned biopic about the actor has found its lead, and we’re in.
13 Reasons Why star Brandon Flynn has booked the lead in the upcoming movie, Willie and Jimmy Dean. The movie is an adaptation of the 2006 memoir, “Surviving James Dean,” by William Bast. The Hollywood Reporter broke the news.
Bast’s memoir alleges that at the age of nineteen, he met Dean at the UCLA theater school. The two became friends and eventually had a romantic relationship. Bast alleges that the relationship was kept secret because of Dean’s career.
The movie will be directed by Guy Guido. He said [in reference to the project], “This is not a traditional biopic. It’s a tender and sometimes tragic story about two young men who found each other in a time and place where being seen—truly seen— came at a cost. Brandon Flynn brings both the fire and vulnerability this role demands. I couldn’t imagine anyone more perfect to explore and play out the complexities of James Dean.”
“James Dean is like the known unknown. His short life left behind just three films, a mountain of photographs, and a cultural mythology we keep trying to decode. This script is a beautiful attempt at truthfully understanding who he really was — not just the icon, but the man.” Flynn said in a statement.
“It highlights how Hollywood has historically forced LGBTQ people into performance, even in their personal lives,” Flynn continued, “This story dares to present James Dean as a man with real, complex relationships, and I think there’s power in that truth.”
James Dean’s life was cut short when the actor was killed in a car accident when he was 24.
