Catherine Keener makes anything she stars in better, and even an A-list star like Tom Hanks can benefit by having her hang off his arm.
The indie darling has joined Paul Greengrass' thriller "Captain Phillips." Penned by Billy Ray (”Shattered Glass,” “Breach”), this based-on-a-true-story tale will bring to the big screen the adventures of Captain Richard Phillips, who made worldwide headlines back in 2009 when he gave himself up to Somali pirates in exchange for the safety of his crew after his boat was attacked. Three days later, Navy SEALs stormed the lifeboat Phillips was being held hostage in and emerged with the captain, leaving three of the pirates dead. Keener will play Andrea Phillips, and most her job will be to have steely resolve, as she remains "strong throughout the hostage ordeal, never losing faith in her husband."
Okay, so maybe not the most layered of roles, but if anyone can make it their own, it's Keener. While this might seem like awards season fodder, Sony doesn't think so, pegging the film with a March 22, 2013 release date. Filming gets underway soon and after that, she'll transition over to Charlie Kaufman's "Frank Or Francis." [Variety]