“Rock of Ages” star Malin Akerman is set to play Blondie singer Debbie Harry in Randall Miller’s indie “CBGB,” the story of the influential New York music venue.
Brit thesp Alan Rickman stars as CBGB owner Hilly Kristal, while “Harry Potter” thesp Rupert Grint will co-star as Cheetah Chrome, the guitarist for the Dead Boys, a punk band that played a prominent role during the club’s rise.
Harry regularly frequented CBGB and Studio 54, and her band Blondie earned commercial success following their debut album in 1976.
Miller is directing from a script he co-wrote with Jody Savin. Production will start next month in Gotham.
Miller and Savin’s Unclaimed Freight Prods. will produce with Brad Rosenberger, the former senior VP of Warner-Chappell Music. Kristal’s daughter, Lisa Kristal Burgman, controls the estate and is onboard to co-produce.
Akerman next stars in New Line’s musical “Rock of Ages,” in which she plays a reporter writing about Tom Cruise’s character, Stacee Jaxx. Thesp, who’s best known for starring in Zack Snyder’s “Watchmen,” recently appeared in David Wain’s “Wanderlust” and will soon be seen opposite Nicolas Cage in Simon West’s actioner “Stolen.”
Akerman is repped by WME and Sanders Armstrong Caserta Management.
