Actor Lance Gross & Actress Nicole Beharie Set to Star In The Last Fall Feature Film
Online, June 27, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Actor Lance Gross, best known for his portrayal as Calvin Payne in the Tyler Perry hit TBS sitcom, House of Payne, and actress Nicole Beharie, best known for her breakout role in American Violet, have signed on to star in writer, director Matthew A. Cherry's debut feature film, The Last Fall. Gross is also being brought on as an Executive Producer. Gross, who earned a NAACP Image Award for his work on House of Payne, co-starred in the 2010 release, Our Family Wedding, alongside Forest Whitaker, America Ferrera and Regina King.
Nicole is a graduate of the prestigious Julliard School; she is a rising star of the stage, film and television worlds. Nicole had leading roles in The Express (2008) and the NAACP Image Award winning Lifetime film, Sins of the Mother (2010). She has two films in post - My Last Day Without You directed by Stefan Schaefer and The Small of My Back directed by Russell Sharman. Nicole was last on Broadway at Lincoln Center in the world-premiere of John Guare's A Free Man of Color directed by George C. Wolfe and starring opposite Jeffrey Wright, Mos Def and Paul Dano. She most recently wrapped production on Shame, written and directed by Steve McQueen and starring opposite Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan.
The Last Fall is a coming of age sports drama that shows the difficulties that many professional football players face when they are forced into early retirement and try to transition into their life beyond sports. The film will be independently produced by Matthew A. Cherry and Scott Hebert's production company, Transparent Filmworks and NFL Player, Ellis Hobbs' production company, Outer Stratosphere and produced also by Nikki Love. Cherry's credits as a director include the critically acclaimed romantic short form drama, This Time, which starred actors Reagan Gomez-Preston, Terri J. Vaughn and Michael Moss. Ellis Hobbs, a Free Agent who holds the NFL record for the longest kickoff return (108 yards, set on September 9, 2007) will bring much insight to the project to being a professional athlete as well as the reality of a professional player's life on and off of the field. Cherry is a also an NFL alumni who was an undrafted free agent that played three years in the National Football League. Principle Photography for The Last Fall begins July 11, 2011 in Los Angeles, CA.
