Variety is reporting that Jake Gyllenhaal is teaming up with director Cary Fukunaga (True Detective, Jane Eyre) for The American, a biopic of the celebrated composer Leonard Bernstein (West Side Story, On the Waterfront).
Scripted by Michael Minick (Vinyl) and based upon the biography Leonard Bernstein by Humphrey Burton, the film will explore Bernstein’s life in five moments, like a symphony, from his time as conductor of the New York Philharmonic at the age of 25 through his meteoric rise to fame as he struggles both personally and publicly to be everything that everyone expected him to be, most of all himself.
“Like many people, Leonard Bernstein found his way into my life and heart through West Side Story when I was a kid,” said Gyllenhaal. “But as I got older and started to learn about the scope of his work, I began to understand the extent of his unparalleled contribution and the debt of gratitude modern American culture owes him. As a man, Bernstein was a fascinating figure—full of genius and contradiction—and it will be an incredible honor to tell his story with a talent and friend like Cary.”
“Bernstein’s artistic passions changed the way generations understood and appreciated music,” added Fukunaga. “It’s been wonderful collaborating with Michael and Jake on Bernstein’s story as we endeavor to capture both the iconic person and artist. Jake is the perfect partner to help bring this story to life and to play this legend.”
Gyllenhaal will next be seen in Paul Dano’s Wildlife, while his other upcoming projects include The Sisters Brothers, Velvet Buzzsaw, Rio, Finest Kind, The Anarchists vs ISIS and the video game adaptation The Division.
