Leighton to star in Netflix thriller adaptation of ‘The Weekend Away’
The cast alos includes 'Batwoman' actor Christina Wolfe, Ziad Bakri and Luke Norris.
Washington: Good news for all the Leighton Meester fans as the actor is set to return with her first lead film role in years. The ‘Gossip Girl’ actor has been roped in for the upcoming Netflix thriller ‘The Weekend Away’, an adaptation of the novel by Sarah Alderson. As per Variety, along with Meester, the cast includes ‘Batwoman’ actor Christina Wolfe, Ziad Bakri and Luke Norris. Alderson is adapting the screenplay, with Kim Farrant set to direct.
Speaking about the upcoming film, Alderson said, “I am so excited to see ‘The Weekend Away’ make it to the screen. To have adapted my own novel makes it even more special, and I am thrilled that Leighton will be bringing this character to life.” The psychological thriller takes place amid a weekend getaway to Croatia that goes awry when a woman is accused of killing her best friend. As she attempts to clear her name and uncover the truth, her efforts unearth a painful secret.
Ben Pugh, Charlie Morrison and Erica Steinberg will produce ‘The Weekend Away’ for 42 as part of their overall deal with Netflix. Kari Hatfield of 24 is executive producing the film. A prolific author, Alderson has published 20 books throughout her career such as the best-selling young adult novels ‘Hunting Lila’, ‘Losing Lila’, ‘The Sound’ and ‘Out of Control’. Her other works include the mind-bending thrillers ‘In Her Eyes’, ‘Friends Like These’ and ‘The Stalker’. Netflix’s ‘The Weekend Away’ will mark Meester’s first film role in some time. Her recent feature credits include the 2019 crime drama ‘Semper Fi’ and the 2014 indie drama ‘By the Gun’.
On the small screen, she appeared in the sitcom ‘Single Parents’ with Taran Killam and had guest roles on the sci-fi comedic drama ‘The Orville’ and ‘The Last Man on Earth’. Meester is best known for her lead role on the insanely popular series ‘Gossip Girl’, which ran on The CW from 2007 to 2012. In the show, she appeared with Blake Lively and Penn Badgley as students at an elite New York City private high school.
On the personal front, Meester has been married to actor Adam Brody since 2014. The couple shares a five-year-old daughter named Arlo, and they confirmed that they had welcomed a son in September of last year, though the celebrity couple hasn’t yet publicly revealed his name.
The couple was first introduced in 2010 while starring together in the film ‘The Oranges’, and since then Adam went on to appear in several episodes of ‘Single Parents’ with her. Last year, he appeared in the critically acclaimed film ‘The Kid Detective’ and Oscar-winning black comedy-thriller ‘Promising Young Woman’.
