Harsh Vardhan
Steve Guttenberg and Dan Lauria will headline Michael W. Gray’s feature directorial debut! The Cinemaholic can reveal that the two actors have joined the mystery film ‘American Summer.’ The project’s filming will start in Westwood, New Jersey, this month. Gray wrote the film with Jennifer B. White. Guttenberg and Lauria will star alongside Mia Talerico, Stephen Krahel, and Callie Reese.
The plot revolves around Mickey as he recollects a summer during his childhood, especially when he met the girl of his dreams and earned a place on the travel baseball team. This nostalgic journey unfolds against the backdrop of his U.S. Army father, his hero, going missing overseas.
Guttenberg is known for playing Michael Kellam in the comedy film ‘Three Men and a Baby’ and Carey Mahoney in ‘Police Academy.’ He most recently played Gene in ‘Goodbye, Hello,’ which centers on Nate Ryan, who returns to Bundy Canyon to visit his ailing father. The actor also appeared in the TV movie ‘How to Murder Your Husband‘ as Daniel Brophy. The movie explores the dark fantasy of an author who dreams of killing her husband and staging her own death, leading to her arrest in 2022 for actually committing the crime. His other popular credits include King Jasper in ‘The Little Mermaid‘ and Dr. Katman in ABC’s sitcom ‘The Goldbergs.’
Lauria is best known for playing Jack Arnold in ABC’s coming-of-age comedy series ‘The Wonder Years.’ He starred as the politician Tip O’Neill in the biographical drama ‘Reagan,’ which chronicles Ronald Reagan’s life from childhood through his presidency. He has been a part of several renowned shows, such as ABC’s medical drama ‘The Good Doctor,’ NBC’s drama series ‘This Is Us,’ and Showtime’s acclaimed comedy ‘Shameless.’ The actor will be featured in ‘Captain for Dark Mornings,’ a film adaptation of the critically acclaimed book about a soldier who brings hope to victims of post-traumatic stress beginning on the battlefield.
Although ‘American Summer’ is Gray’s first feature as a director, he has produced several movies, including Madelyn Cline’s mystery thriller ‘What Breaks the Ice,’ Shiloh Fernandez’s romantic drama ‘Long Nights Short Mornings,’ and the 2015 thriller ‘Body.’
Among notable projects shot in Westwood, New Jersey, are the television show ‘Ed’ and the films ‘Reunion 108’ and ‘Epic History of Everyday Things.’
