This Is Us star Susan Kelechi Watson is heading to the big screen for her next role.
According to Deadline, actress Susan Kelechi Watson has just joined the cast of the upcoming Mr. Rogers biopic You Are My Friend.
Unlike the documentary that premiered earlier this year, the film is inspired by Mr. Rogers’ real life friendship with journalist Tom Junod.
The bond between the two men forms after Junod begrudgingly accepts an assignment to write a profile piece on the iconic children’s television host. Though he starts out a cynical journalist, Junod’s perspective on life is soon transformed after he begins spending time with Rogers while on assignment.
Watson will be sharing the silver screen with actors Tom Hanks and Matthew Rhys, both of whom have been attached to the project for quite some time. Hanks and Rhys will play Mr. Rogers and Tom Junod, respectively. Currently, there’s no word on who Watson herself will be playing in the film.
Behind the scenes, the film is being helmed by Marielle Heller, who most recently directed the coming-of-age indie drama Diary of a Teenage Girl. She’ll be directing from a screenplay written by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster.
You Are My Friend is scheduled to hit theaters next year on October 18, 2019.
In the meantime, Mr. Rogers fans young and old looking to learn more about the iconic television personality can get their fill by checking out Morgan Neville’s documentary, Won’t You Be My Neighbor? which made its silver screen debut this past June.
And you won’t have to wait long to see Watson back on the small screen. The actress will be returning to reprise her role as Beth Pearson on This Is Us season 3 when the hit NBC drama returns with new episodes on September 25.
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