Drummer Taylor Hawkins’ penchant for onstage chest-baring  has apparently come in handy: the wiry, blond-haired Foo Fighter (whose acting skills are showcased in many of the group’s  music videos) has been reportedly cast in the upcoming movie about the legendary New York club as – who else? – Iggy Pop.

Malin Ackerman (The Proposal) has also reportedly joined on, taking on the role of Blondie’s Debbie Harry alongside (Sting’s daughter) Mickey Sumner’s Patti Smith and John Galecki, of The Big Bang Theory fame, as manager Terry Ork.

Hawkins and Akerman are the latest in a myriad of actors whose roles in the flick – which tells the story of CBGB’s history and its late owner Hilly Kristal –  were announced in recent weeks.

Other new additions to the cast include:

Peter Vack (I Just Want My Pants Back) as Legs McNeil; Steven Schub (Chicago 8) as Dee Dee Ramone;  Evan Alex Cole (She’s Out of My League) as Richard Hell; and Kerry Bische (Red State) as Mary Harron.

Previously confirmed casting includes Alan Rickman, best known for being Alan Rickman (and the Harry Potter franchise), as Hilly Kristal and Rickman’s former co-star, Rupert Grint, as Cheetah Chrome of The Dead Boys.

The film will detail the history of what Kristal intended to be a club for, as the now-famous acronym indicates, country, bluegrass, and blues bands to perform, but which instead became a launching pad for many of the punk and new wave bands that would define the 70s and 80s. Its stage was graced by acts like Television, The Ramones, and Patti Smith when all were just up-and-comers and American punk was in its infancy. It remained a kind of musical institution until it was shut down in 2006.

The project is slated to begin production on June 25 in Savannah before it moves to New York.

About The Author

Morgan Lawrence is a Blast editor-at-large

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