Nate Parker is truly a star on the rise, and many are recognizing that with his look and early career trajectory, the 32-year old actor is eerily reminiscent of a young Denzel Washington. The two actually starred together in The Great Debaters, which Washington directed. This year has been the best for him so far, performing well in the otherwise horrible Red Tails, and he was also one of the few bright spots in Spike Lee's divisive Red Hook Summer. Now as Spike Lee gears up for his remake of the South Korean vengeance tale, Oldboy, Parker is in talks to come along for the ride.
Without giving away too much, because Oldboy is a film with a lot of wild twists, the story involves a man who is kidnapped and imprisoned on the night of his daughter's birthday, locked away for fifteen years without any explanation. Just as suddenly he is released, and immediately seeks revenge on those who held him captive. Josh Brolin is set for the lead role, with Sharlto Copley, Elisabeth Olsen, and Samuel L. Jackson also part of the cast. Parker would play a doctor and associate of Olsen's character.
Parker will be seen next in the Richard Gere financial thriller, Arbitrage, due out later this month. Oldboy begins filming in October for a likely release in 2013. [Variety]
