James Van Der Beek will forever be Dawson. While the actor has had notable roles since and has actually been working fairly constantly, no matter where he goes he will always be remembered as that guy from Dawson's Creek. But hey, he's a success, right? He even just landed a role in a television series, Don't Trust The B- In Apartment 23 where he's playing himself. Even better than that? Jason Reitman has found a space for him in his new project.
THR has learned that Van Der Beek is now in talks for a part in Labor Day. Already set to star Josh Brolin and Kate Winslet, the movie is about a young boy who gets a ride from a mysterious stranger over the Labor Day weekend. It turns out that the stranger is actually a escaped convict who "ends up teaching the boy life lessons." Winslet is set to play the boy's mother, who is described as a recluse, while Brolin will play the mystery man. Should he make a deal, Van Der Beek will play a cop who is on the hunt for a missing person.
But who will play the young boy? The same trade has that information in another article. Gattlin Griffith, 13, has been selected by Reitman to play the film's main character. Despite being so young, Griffith actually has a fairly extensive resume, having appeared in multiple television series and playing roles in movies like Clint Eastwood's Changeling and Martin Campbell's Green Latnern. While Griffith is the director's top choice, he has not yet signed on the dotted line.
Labor Day is based on the novel by Joyce Maynard and was adapted by Jason Reitman. The film is currently in pre-production and doesn't yet have a release date.
