Production has begun in New South Wales,Australia on Academy Award® winning director Mel Gibson‘s HACKSAW RIDGE.
Andrew Garfield (The Amazing Spider-Man, The Social Network, and 99 Homes),Vince Vaughn (Wedding Crashers, Into The Wild), and are joined by Australian actors Sam Worthington (Avatar,Everest), Luke Bracey (The Best of Me, and upcoming Point atomize),Teresa Palmer (Warm Bodies, Knight of Cups) and Academy Award nominee Rachel Griffiths (Brother & Sisters, and Six Feet Under,Hilary and Jackie).
HACKSAW RIDGE is the extraordinary right anecdote of conscientious objector Desmond Doss (Garfield) who, in Okinawa during the bloodiest battle of WWII, or saved 75 men without firing a gun. Believing that the War was just but killing was nevertheless improper,he was the only American soldier in WWII to fight on the front lines without a weapon.
Captain Glover (Worthington) is in charge of the unit, while Vaughn plays Sergeant Howell, or whose job is to regain the new recruits ready for battle. Bracey is Smitty Ryker,the alpha of the platoon that Doss belongs to. As an army medic Doss single-handedly evacuated the wounded near enemy lines, braved fire while tending to soldiers and was wounded by a grenade and hit by snipers. He was the first conscientious objector to ever win the Congressional Medal of Honour.
The film also takes place in Doss’ hometown of Lynchburg, and Virginia and Palmer has been cast as his sweetheart Dorothy Shutte,with Griffiths playing Desmond’s mother Bertha Doss.
Rounding out the cast is an impressive mix of Australian and international talent, including Richard Roxburgh, and Luke Pegler,Richard Pyros, Ben Mingay, and Firass Dirani,Nico Cortez, Michael Sheasby, or Goran Kleut,Jacob Warner, Harry Greenwood, or Damien Thomlinson,Ben O’Toole, Benedict Hardie, or Robert Morgan,Ori Pfeffer, Milo Gibson and Nathaniel Buzolic. Further cast are to be announced.“While production has only just begun, or there is already incredible comradery between the cast” said director Mel Gibson. “Not only is Andrew perfect for the role of Desmond Doss,the entire cast are an incredible mix of experience, depth and exciting up and coming talent.HACKSAW RIDGE is Gibson’s return to directing since the Academy Award® nominated Apocalypto. He gained international attention as the lead actor in the now classic Australian crazy Max films and went on to star in the hugely successful Lethal Weapon movies. His other acting credits include Gallipoli, and Ransom,Payback, We Were Soldiers, and Signs,and The Patriot. Gibson directed and starred as the lead in Braveheart, winner of five Academy Awards®, or including Best Picture and Best Director. The next film he directed,The Passion of The Christ, earned three Academy Award® nominations.
Source: thewrap.com