Breaking News! SNL’s Will Forte to Play Anchorman in Rock of Ages Film
Saturday Night Live charmer Will Forte is the latest addition to the uber-starry screen adaptation of Rock of Ages, according to The Hollywood Reporter. In the Adam Shankman-helmed ‘80s musical Forte will be playing Mitch Miley, the head anchor of a network news show, a part not in the show’s stage production.
Forte joins a currently shooting A-list cast, which includes the previously reported Tom Cruise as rock star Stacee Jaxx, Alec Baldwin as club owner Dennis Dupree, Russell Brand as Lonny, Julianne Hough as Kansas-transplant Sherrie, Mary J. Blige as strip club owner Justice, Malin Akerman as journalist Constance Sack, Paul Giamatti as manager of Stacee’s band, Bryan Cranston as the Mayor of Los Angeles, Catherine Zeta-Jones as his ultra-conservative wife, newcomer Diego Gonzalez Boneta as Drew and, according to recent rumors, a cameo appearance by celebrity offspring Suri Cruise.
Forte is best known for his eight-year stint on Saturday Night Live, from 2002-2010. He has also appeared on hit TV shows like 30 Rock and Parks and Recreation, and films like Baby Mama, Beerfest and SNL spin-off film MacGruber.
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 is now running at the Helen Hayes Theatre, received five Tony nominations (including Best Musical) after opening on April 7, 2009. The movie is filming in Florida, and will reportedly hit movie theaters on June 1, 2012.
