Deadline reports that Jake T. Austin (The Wizards of Waverly Place), Paulo Costanzo (Royal Pains), Iman Karram (Glow), and Ka’ramuu Kush (Five Deep Breaths) have been cast for Daft State, the psychological thriller from Chad Bishoff. The film has also just begun production.
The four actors will play alongside previously announced leads Christopher Backus (Big Little Lies) and Skye P. Marshall (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina).
Written by Bishoff and Sam Harter, the film follows the mysterious psychological destruction of Easton (Backus), driven to the edge of sanity and possible self-harm by those that love him most: his wife (Marshall) and daughter.
Bishoff tells Deadline, “We’re so fortunate to have such an incredibly talented cast in our film. I can’t wait for audiences to see what they bring to the screen.”
“Having a cast of this caliber with such extensive and established fan bases to help tell this gripping story centered on the complex nature of mental health, is an honor,” added Hover.
Austin is a five-time Young Artist Award nominee and Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards nominee. He co-starred in the Disney Channel series The Wizards of Waverly Place, along with other family-centric projects including Go Diego Go!, Hotel for Dogs, and The Emoji Movie.
Costanzo is best known for playing Evan R. Lawson on USA’s Royal Pains. His credits include CBS’ Emmy-nominated series The Good Flight, Netflix’s Designated Survivor, Amazon’s The Expanse, and HBO’s The Night Of.
Karram was previously on Netflix’s Emmy-winning series Glow, opposite Alison Brie, and in The CW’s football drama, All American. She also appeared in many music videos, including Dove Cameron’s Genie in a Bottle, which has 279 million views on YouTube.
Kush is known for his appearance on Five Deep Breaths and for writing and directing the SAG Award-winner Michael Harney in Salvation Road. He’s also guest-starred in several series, including Girlfriends, Numbers, and NCIS: Los Angeles.