'Hillbilly Elegy': Meet Gabriel Basso, Amy Adams and rest of the cast of Netflix drama
'Hillbilly Elegy' is a drama film marking director Ron Howard's Netflix debut and is adapted from the 2016 memoir authored by JD Vance. It follows the notion of the American Dream through three generations of an Appalachian family when the protagonist Vance is called home -- a place he has tried to forget -- during a family crisis. Meet the A-list cast of this drama.
Gabriel Basso as JD Vance
Basso is known for his works in 'Super 8', 'The Kings of Summer' (2013), 'American Wrestler: The Wizard' (2016) and 'Barely Lethal' (2015). His most recent works include 'The Hive' (2014), 'Ithaca' (2015), and 'The Whole Truth' (2016). In 2011, Basso was nominated for a Teen Choice Award for 'Super 8' which he shared with his castmates, and that same year was awarded the PFCS Award for the same production, which he also shared with his castmates. In 2012, he was nominated for a Young Artist Award for the same production as well. In 2016, the actor won a Festival Prize at the Boston Film Festival for 'American Wrestler: The Wizard'.
Amy Adams as Bev
Adams is an award-winning actress and producer known for her many accolades and roles such as Louise Banks in 'Arrival' (2016), Syndey Prosser in 'American Hustle' (2013), Cousin Beth in 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer' (2000), and as Lois Lane in 'Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice' (2016), and 'Justice League' (2017). She also has an upcoming release in post-production titled 'Zack Snyder's Justice League' where she will play the role of Lane, again. She has three other releases in pre-production, titled 'Kings of America', 'Disenchanted' and 'Dear Evan Hansen'. The actress has won two Golden Globes, one in 2014 for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy or Musical for 'American Hustle' and another in 2015 for the same category for 'Big Eyes' (2014). She also won a Saturn Award in 2008 for Best Actress for her role in 'Enchated' and in 2010, she won for Best Ensemble Cast at the Boston Society of Film Critics Awards for 'The Fighter' (2010) which she shared with Mark Wahlberg, Christian Bale, Melissa Leo and Jack McGee.
Glenn Close as Mamaw
Close is an actress and a producer known for her roles as Sunny von Bulow in 'Reversal of Fortune' (1990), Alex Forrest in 'Fatal Attraction' (1987), Cruella DeVil in '101 Dalmations' (1996), Joan Castleman in 'The Wife' (2017) and many more. She has won numerous awards over the course of her career. She has won three Primetime Emmys -- two for 'Damages' (2007) for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series in 2008 and 2009, and one in 1995 for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Special for 'Serving in Silence: The Margarethe Cammermeyer Story' (1995). Close has also won three Golden Globes -- one in 2005 for Best Performance by an Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television for 'The Lion in Winter' (2003), another in 2008 for Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series - Drama for 'Damages' and lastly one in 2019 for Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama for 'The Wife'. She has also been nominated for an Oscar seven times for releases such as 'Alberty Nobbs' (2011), 'The Big Chill', 'The Natural' and many more. Her most recent roles include 'Four Good Day's (2020), 'Baba Yoga' (2020), and 'The Great Work Begins. Scenes from Angels in America' (2020). She also has another release in pre-production titled 'Sunset Boulevard'.
Bo Hopkins as Papaw
Hopkins is known for his roles as Tex in 'Midnight Express' (1978), Crazy Lee in 'The Whild Bunch' (1969), Joe in 'American Graffiti' (1973) and Frank Jackson in 'The Getaway' (1972). His recent works include 'A Little Christmas Business' (2013), and 'The Boys at the Bar' (2016). He also has a release titled 'Of God and Kings' in post-production. In 1995, the actor had also won a Golden Boot Award. He is also known for his other works such as 'The Kansas City Massacre' (1975), 'The Man Who Loved Cat Dancing' (1973), 'A Small Town in Texas' (1976) and 'Beggarman, Thief' (1979).
Freida Pinto as Usha
Pinto is popularly known for her roles as Latika in 'Slumdog Millionaire' (2008), but also has been cast in other notable roles such as Caroline Aranha in 'Rise of the Planet of the Apes' (2011), Phaedra in 'Immortals' (2011) and Dia in 'You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger' (2010). Her more recent works include 'Mr Malcolm's List' (2019), 'Only' (2019), 'Mira, Royal Detective' (2020), and 'Love Wedding Repeat' (2020). She has a release titled 'Needle in a Timestack' in post-production, and a release titled 'Together Now' that is listed as filming. In 2011, Pinto was awarded the Woman of the Year at the Elle Women in Hollywood Awards ceremony, and that same year she also won Woman of the Year at the GQ Awards in India. At the 2009 Palm Springs International Film Festival, Pinto won a Breakthrough Performance Award for her role in 'Slumdog Millionaire'.
The rest of the cast includes Haley Bennett as Lindsay, Owen Asztalos as Young JD Vance, Dylan Gage as Kameron, David Atkinson as Ray, and many more.
Netflix's synopsis reads, "J.D. Vance (Gabriel Basso), a former Marine from southern Ohio and current Yale Law student, is on the verge of landing his dream job when a family crisis forces him to return to the home he’s tried to forget. J.D. must navigate the complex dynamics of his Appalachian family, including his volatile relationship with his mother Bev (Amy Adams), who’s struggling with addiction. Fueled by memories of his grandmother Mamaw (Glenn Close), the resilient and whip-smart woman who raised him, J.D. comes to embrace his family’s indelible imprint on his own personal journey."
Catch 'Hillbilly Elegy' on November 24, 2020, on Netflix. Watch the trailer below.
