While 2015 marked a breakout year for Oscar Isaac, this year has been a rather quiet one for the actor (as far as movie releases go), with the exception of his villainous appearance in X-Men: Apocalypse. But with a slate of big films, which now includes Steven Spielberg’s The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara, in the works, 2017 and beyond are looking rather ambitious.
As Variety reports, Isaac has just been confirmed to join Mark Rylance in Spielberg’s forthcoming religious drama The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara. The story follows a young Jewish boy living in Bologna, Italy in 1858, who was taken from his family by force and later raised as a Christian. The struggle to free him becomes wrapped in a larger political struggle between national governments and the Papacy. Isaac, who’s role is not yet known, will star opposite Rylance, who’s set to play the role of Pope Pius IX.
Isaac broke onto the scene in the Coen Brothers’ 2013 film Inside Llewyn Davis. He later starred in the underrated slow-burner A Most Violent Year and Alex Garland’s sleeper sci-fi drama Ex Machina. He appeared in last year’s Star Wars: The Force Awakens and is set to reprise his role of Poe Dameron in the Episode VIII sequel, which is currently in production. Also on the docket, a starring role in the aforementioned Garland’s next film Annihilation and the George Clooney-directed Coen brothers-scripted Suburbicon.
The Kidnapping of Edgardo Mortara was scripted by longtime Spielberg collaborator Tony Kushner (Lincoln, Munich), based upon the book by David I. Kertzer. Unlike Rylance, whose collaborations with Spielberg include Bridge of Spies, The BFG and the forthcoming Ready Player One, Edgardo Mortara will mark Isaac’s first time working with the director.
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Originally published July 17, 2016. Updated April 13, 2018.
