GLOW actor Betty Gilpin has come on board to star in Ron Howard's Alone At Dawn. She will be joining previously announced cast members Adam Driver and Anne Hathaway. Howard, known for Apollo 13 (1995), How the Grinch Stole Christmas (2000), A Beautiful Mind (2001) and The Da Vinci Code (2006), among others, is helming the war drama for Amazon.
Based on the 2019 book of the same name by authors Dan Schilling and Lori Longfritz, the film is inspired by the true story of Air Force Combat Controller John Chapman (played by Adam Driver) and an intelligence officer (played by Anne Hathaway) who fought to get him a Medal of Honour. It is to be noted that Lori Longfritz is Chapman's sister. Details about Gilpin's role are under wraps.
John Chapman served as a combat controller with SEAL Team Six during a mission in Afghanistan that turned disastrous when their helicopters were shot down. Despite suffering severe injuries, he fought fiercely to protect his teammates and was mistakenly presumed dead. Hours later, Chapman regained consciousness and continued to engage enemy forces, ultimately sacrificing his life as he defended another US helicopter that entered the combat zone. His extraordinary bravery, which saved many of his fellow soldiers, later inspired efforts to posthumously honour him with the Medal of Honour.
Michael Russell Gunn scripted the film, with previous revisions by Erin Cressida Wilson and Amy Herzog. Alone At Dawn is backed by Kristy Grisham, William Connor and Patrick Newall, along with Imagine Entertainment, The Hideaway Entertainment and Thruline Entertainment. Michael Russell Gunn serves as the executive producer. A release date for the film is yet to be revealed.
Gilpin is a three-time Emmy nominee, two-time SAG Award nominee and three-time Critics Choice nominee for her breakout role in Netflix’s GLOW. She currently stars alongside Michael Shannon and Matthew Macfadyen in Netflix’s limited series Death by Lightning, which traces the life, death and presidency of James A Garfield. She also appears in the indie series Hal & Harper with Cooper Raiff, Mark Ruffalo and Lili Reinhart. After completing a key role opposite Matthew Rhys in Apple’s Widow’s Bay, she recently joined the cast of Aaron Sorkin’s The Social Reckoning and will next be seen starring with Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein in Ol Parker’s upcoming Netflix rom-com Office Romance.