A sizable departure from his current role as Prohibition-era gangster Nucky Thompson in HBO’s award-winning BOARDWALK EMPIRE, Steve Buscemi has been offered a major supporting role in upcoming comedy BURT WONDERSTONE. Buscemi’s has been offered the role of Anton, a Las Vegas magician partnered with the title character, to be played by Steve Carell. The characters have a falling out, resulting in their partnership ending and Anton taking off to teach magic in the far east. The film will also feature Jim Carrey as an up and coming street magician who threatens Burt’s dominance of the Vegas magic circuit, forcing him to try and reconcile with his former partner.
James Gandolfini (famed as HBO’s other eminent gangster, Tony Soprano) also stars as the billionaire owner of the casino where all the magic happens, whilst Olivia Wilde and Sarah Silverman are both being considered for the female lead in the film. Frequent 30 ROCK (in which Buscemi has occasionally guest starred) director Don Scardino helms the project, to be produced by New Line Cinema.
Versatile actor Buscemi is likely best known for his prominent roles in nineties films such as FARGO, RESERVOIR DOGS and THE BIG LEBOWSKI, although he has appeared in numerous comedy roles over the years. Production on BURT WONDERSTONE is scheduled to start in January, when his current show BOARDWALK EMPIRE is on hiatus between seasons two and three.
BURT WONDERSTONE is currently in pre-production, due to be released in 2013.
Source: Variety
