Gigandet
Paquin
"Twilight" thesp Cam Gigandet is set to join "True Blood" star Anna Paquin in Shana Sosin's indie drama "Free Ride."
Pic marks the first production for Paquin's production company SCAMP, whose other principals include Cerise Hallam Larkin, Mark Larkin and Paquin's husband and "True Blood" co-star Stephen Moyer.
Based on a true story, "Free Ride" finds Paquin playing an abused single mother who moves to Florida with her daughters amid the colorful yet turbulent culture of the late 1970s.
Gigandet will play Paquin's love interest. Pic co-stars Drea De Matteo ("The Sopranos"), Liana Liberato ("Trust"), Ava Acres ("Five"), Jeff Hephner (Starz's "Boss") and another "True Blood" thesp, Brit Morgan.
Sosin ("Girls! Girls! Girls!") is writing and directing. "Free Ride" is being produced by Cerise Hallam Larkin, Susan Dynner and Paquin. Moyer will exec produce with Mark Larkin and production is skedded to start Oct. 24 in Sarasota, Fla.
Featured Artists Agency's Brian Dreyfuss reps Sosin and was heavily involved in packaging the project.
Paquin will next star alongside Ryan Phillippe and Luke Wilson in Nu Image/Millennium Films dramedy "Straight A's." most recently starred in Kenneth Lonergan's "Margaret" and Wes Craven's "Scream 4."
Gigandet is coming off a trio of genre pics including "The Roommate," "Priest" and Joel Schumacher's "Trespass." Thesp was recently cast as one of the leads in TNT's Western drama pilot "Gateway."
WME reps both Paquin and Gigandet, who are also repped by Brillstein Entertainment Partners and Luber Roklin Entertainment, respectively.
Contact Jeff Sneider at
jeff.sneider@variety.com