Matt Smith, star of Doctor Who, Lost River and Womb, has been cast as Robert Mapplethorpe in an upcoming biopic.
The film, titled Mapplethorpe, has already spent years in production, and is set to trace the life of the iconic avant-garde photographer – including his career, New York upbringing, and his eventual struggles with HIV. It will also star Girls actress Zosia Mamet, who has been cast as Mapplethorpe’s lifelong friend and collaborator, Patti Smith.
According to reports in Deadline, the project has the full backing of the Mapplethorpe Foundation, and will be directed by Sundance winner Ondi Timoner. Production is scheduled to start in summer this year.
“After several years of developing this script and searching across the globe for the perfect talent to embody the rich and layered roles of visionary artists Robert Mapplethorpe and Patti Smith, I am ecstatic to have found Matt Smith and Zosia Mamet,” Timoner said in a statement. “They will bring indelible passion, raw humanity, and authenticity to this timeless, inspiring story.”
