Australian up-and-comer Sam Rechner has been cast in a major role in the upcoming Steven Spielberg biopic, The Fabelmans, which will focus on the director’s childhood. Rechner is set to play a high school classmate of the young and aspiring filmmaker.

Rechner will be joining the already impressive cast that includes Michelle Williams, Seth Rogen, Paul Dano, Julia Butters and Gabriel LaBelle. Filming is set to begin next month near Los Angeles with a planned 2022 release.

Spielberg will direct the film with a script he co-wrote with Tony Kushner. Spielberg, Kushner and Kristie Macosko Krieger.

Rechner most recently appeared in the film Ruby’s Choice with Jane Seymour, and he’s set to appear in season 2 of the Amazon Prime Video series, The Wilds, starring Rachel Griffiths. The 19-year-old actor also has history working in theatrical productions of Animal Farm and 12 Angry Men.

Speilberg’s most recent directorial effort was back in 2018 with the adaptation of Ernest Cline’s hit science fiction novel, Ready Player One. The director’s next film, West Side Story, was meant to release December 2020, but was pushed to delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Now the musical remake is set to hit the big screen December 10, 2021.

Up-and-coming Australian actor Sam Rechner has landed a significant role in Steven Spielberg’s upcoming film. Rechner will play a high school classmate of the young, aspiring filmmaker at the center of the story.https://t.co/luC4Cj9qGz

— Amblin (@amblin) June 18, 2021