'Tesla': Meet Ethan Hawke, Eve Hewson and rest of the cast of biographical drama on the famed inventor
While Nikola Tesla may not have gotten his due in his lifetime — often being overshadowed by Thomas Edison's marketing skills — the genius inventor is now being paid homage in many different ways. There's Elon Musk's company, Tesla, there's Christopher Nolan's own version of Tesla in his film, 'The Prestige', and now a new film will feature the futurist at the front and center with Ethan Hawke set to play him in the eponymously named 'Tesla'.
The official synopsis for the movie states: "Brilliant, visionary Nikola Tesla fights an uphill battle to bring his revolutionary electrical system to fruition, then faces thornier challenges with his new system for worldwide wireless energy. The film tracks Tesla’s uneasy interactions with his fellow inventor Thomas Edison and his patron George Westinghouse. Another thread traces Tesla's sidewinding courtship of financial titan JP Morgan, whose daughter Anne takes a more than casual interest in the inventor. Anne analyzes and presents the story as it unfolds, offering a distinctly modern voice to this scientific period drama which, like its subject, defies convention."
The new film is set to be available to rent on virtual theatres from August 21 and features an array of stars who are set to play the historical figures. Read on to know more about the stars of 'Tesla' and who they will be playing.
Ethan Hawke
Ethan Hawke is an award-winning actor best known for his roles in 'Dead Poets Society', 'Before Sunset', 'Boyhood', 'Training Day' and more. In 'Tesla', he plays the role of Nikola Tesla. Tesla is best known for his contributions to the design of the modern alternating current (AC) electricity supply system and has of late developed a cult following among those who believed the scientist was not given his due. In the 1890s, Tesla pursued his ideas for wireless lighting and worldwide wireless electric power distribution. Tesla tried to bring these ideas to fruition in his unfinished Wardenclyffe Tower project, an intercontinental wireless communication and power transmitter but ran out of funding before he could complete it.
Kyle MacLachlan
Kyle MacLachlan is an actor best known for his roles in 'Twin Peaks', 'Showgirls', 'How I Met Your Mother' and 'Agents of SHIELD'. He plays the role of Thomas Edison. Edison developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation, mass communication, sound recording and motion pictures, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera and early versions of the electric light bulb. He was a prolific inventor, holding 1,093 US patents in his name, as well as patents in other countries.
Eve Hewson
Eve Hewson is an Irish actress known for her roles in 'The Luminaries', 'The Knick' and 'Bridge of Spies'. She plays the role of Anne Morgan. Anne Morgan was an American philanthropist who provided relief efforts in aid to France during and after the First and Second World Wars. She was the daughter of banker and financier, JP Morgan, and was a union activist, and campaigning for the rights of working women.
Jim Gaffigan
Jim Gaffigan is an actor and comedian known for his roles in 'The Jim Gaffigan Show', 'Bob's Burgers' and 'That 70's Show'. He plays the role of Tesla's patron, George Westinghouse. Westinghouse saw the potential of using alternating current for electric power distribution in the early 1880s and put all his resources into developing and marketing it, thus becoming Tesla's patron.
The movie also stars Donnie Keshawarz as JP Morgan, Blake DeLong as William Kemmler, Ebon Moss-Bachrach as Szigeti, and Josh Hamilton as Robert Underwood Johnson. 'Tesla' will be available to rent on virtual theatres on Friday, August 21.
