Washington : The cast of Academy Award winner Ava DuVernay's upcoming film 'Caste' has grown to include Niecy Nash-Betts, Jon Bernthal, Vera Farmiga, Nick Offerman, Jasmine Cephas Jones, and Connie Nielsen.
According to Variety, a US-based mediahouse, the six actors join Academy Award contender Aunjanue Ellis as the lead in the film based on Pulitzer Prize winner Isabel Wilkerson's 'Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents.'
The book, described by The New York Times as "an instant American classic and probably likely the best nonfiction book of the American century thus far," examines the structure of hierarchy that has shaped America.Variety further reports that DuVernay co-writes, directs, and produces the picture with ARRAY Filmworks' Paul Garnes ('Selma,' 'Middle of Nowhere').
Nash-Betts and Farmiga reconnect with DuVernay after being nominated for Emmys for their roles in the 2019 Netflix limited series 'When They See Us,' while Offerman starred in DuVernay's 2021 limited series 'Colin in Black & White.' Bernthal and Ellis reconnect after their outstanding work on Warner Bros.' 'King Richard' last year.
Variet report that Nash-Betts joins the cast after winning a Critics Choice Award for Netflix's 'Dahmer - Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story'; she also acts in ABC's 'The Rookie: Feds,' a smash hit for the network. Farmiga, who was nominated for an Academy Award for 'Up in the Air,' most recently appeared in 'Five Days at Memorial' on Apple TV+, Marvel's 'Hawkeye' on Disney+, HBO's 'The Many Saints of Newark,' as well as "The Conjuring" franchise and 'The Departed.'
Emmy nominee Offerman recently starred in HBO Max's new series 'The Last of Us' and previously starred in Peacock's 'The Resort.' Bernthal was most recently seen in 'The Bear' on FX and 'American Gigolo' on Showtime.
Cephas Jones is best known for playing Peggy Schuyler and Maria Reynolds in the Tony-winning Broadway sensation 'Hamilton.' She is presently producing and starring in 'Blindspotting' for Starz, returning her role as Ashley Hamilton from the 2018 film.
Nielsen portrayed Queen Hippolyta in Warner Bros.' 'Wonder Woman,' 'Wonder Woman 1984,' and 'Justice League: The Snyder Cut' after starring in the Oscar-winning picture 'Gladiator.' Liza Bolton's movie 'Ocean Deep' will be her next project, as per Variety.