Paul Giamatti Signs On as Band Manager in Rock of Ages Film

Emmy winner Paul Giamatti is the latest in a seemingly endless stream of stars signing on for the upcoming film adaptation of Broadway's favorite metal musical Rock of Ages, according to Deadline.com. Giamatti will play the manager of the rock band headed by decadent ‘80s rocker, Stacee Jaxx, played by Tom Cruise.

In addition to Cruise, Giamatti joins a cast that includes Alec Baldwin as rock club owner Dennis Dupree, Julianne Hough as Kansas-transplant Sherrie and Mary J. Blige as strip club owner Justice. Russell Brand may be in line to take on the role of club employee/narrator Lonny, and Oscar nominee Amy Adams is reportedly considering a role as a reporter eager to write a scathing expose of the extravagant Jaxx. No word yet on who will play opposite Hough as leading man Drew.

Giamatti earned an Emmy Award for his starring role in the HBO Mini-series John Adams opposite Laura Linney, and an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his work in Cinderella Man. His many other film credits include Sideways, American Splendor, Man on the Moon, Cradle Will Rock, Duets, The Truman Show and Duplicity. He has appeared on Broadway in The Iceman Cometh, The Three Sisters, Racing Demon and Arcadia.

Rock of Ages is set in 1987 on the Sunset Strip, where small town girl Sherrie meets a big city rocker at the Bourbon Room, L.A.’s most famous rock club. Their love story is told through the hits of Journey, Bon Jovi, Styx, Pat Benatar, Foreigner, Twisted Sister, Asia, Whitesnake and many more. The Broadway musical, which re-opens on March 24 the Helen Hayes Theatre, received five Tony nominations (including Best Musical) after opening on April 7, 2009.

Adam Shankman (Hairspray) directs, and a script by librettist Chris D’Arienzo has reportedly gotten a rewrite from Michael Arndt, who penned Little Miss Sunshine. As previously reported, the movie is expected to begin filming in Florida on May 19, and will hit movie theaters on June 1, 2012.