Elizabeth Banks to Star in Pair of Indies, Including Beach Boys Biopic ‘Love & Mercy’ (Exclusive)

Elizabeth Banks has booked a pair of indie films.

The Hunger Games actress is set to star in the Beach Boys biopic Love & Mercy, written by Oscar nominee Oren Moverman (The Messengers). 

Directed by Bill Pohlad, Love & Mercy takes an unconventional look at the life of the celebrated leader of The Beach Boys, Brian Wilson, and his battle with mental illness.

Banks will take on the role of Melinda, a former model who later becomes his wife.

John Cusack, Paul Dano and Paul Giamatti round out the cast.

Produced by River Road Entertainment (Into the Wild) and John Wells Productions (White Oleander), Love & Mercy begins filming in August in Los Angeles.

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Banks also has signed on to star in Little Accidents opposite Boyd Holbrook.

Sara Colangelo wrote and will direct the feature adaptation of her 2010 award-winning short film of the same name, which premiered at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival.

Banks plays a woman whose life spirals downward after a town is left devastated following a mining accident that kills 12 men.

Produced by Anne Carey (Adventureland) and Epoch Films (Junebug), filming will begin in July in Kentucky or West Virginia.

Banks will next be seen in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire on Nov. 22. She recently completed production on Every Secret Thing, directed by Amy Berg and based on the best-selling novel by Laura Lippman. She is repped by UTA and Untitled Entertainment.

E-mail: Tatiana.Siegel@THR.com
Twitter: @TatianaSiegel27