Get all of those 90210 jokes out of your system before reading this news story, because it appears that Beverly Hills poster child Jason Priestley is trying his hand a directing, and he’s going to need your support.
The actor and occasional documentarian -- he shot a fun 1999 feature on fellow Canadians Barenaked Ladies -- will make his feature-film debut by helming Cas & Dylan, which THR is calling an indie road-trip story that’s set to star Tatiana Maslany of The Vow. Production label Montefiore Films will handle the film, which has been penned by Jessie Gabe and follows a dying 61-year-old man whose quest to end his life on his own terms is disrupted by a 22-year-old stranger.
The trade says Priestley will shoot Cas this summer in various locations throughout Canada, including Winnipeg and Manitoba. Maslany’s also a Canadian, hailing from Regina. She turned heads at Sundance in 2010 by earning a special jury prize for her performance in Grown Up Movie Star.
Priestley, meanwhile, is growing up himself, expanding his resume behind the lens. He has been honing his craft on episodes of the TV programs Call Me Fitz and Haven. Now he’ll show his stuff with Cas, and hope it opens doors to future projects. I’m willing to give him a shot. Considering the fact that one of my favorite films from this year’s South By Southwest film festival, Fat Kid Rules the World, was directed by Scooby-Doo veteran Matthew Lillard, I’m currently willing to accept virtually anyone behind the camera until they prove to me that they do not belong. So best of luck with Cas, Mr. Priestley, and if you can, find a small part for Luke Perry. I think he could use the work.
