Sam Rechner joins Steven Spielberg's  The Fabelmans

Australian actor Sam Rechner has just been cast as a classmate of a young Steven Spielberg in the director's autobiographical film. The film, which will be Spielberg's follow-up to this year's West Side Story, was titled The Fabelmans last month. 

Rechner joins a star-studded cast that includes Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Paul Dano, Julia Butters, and Gabriel Labelle. The Fabelmans is loosely based on the upbringing of Spielberg in Arizona.

The Fabelmans will be Rechner's second film. His first was in the upcoming Australian drama, Ruby's Choice, starring Jane Seymour.

Rechner also has theatre credits, including starring in productions of Animal Farm and 12 Angry Men. Williams and Dano are set to play the mother and father of Spielberg, while Rogen will play one of the director's favourite uncles growing up. Gabriel LaBelle was cast to play young Spielberg last month.

Spielberg co-wrote the script with Tony Kushner of Lincoln and Munich fame.  Filming on The Fabelmans is set to begin this July around the Los Angeles area, and no release date has been announced yet for the autobiographical film.