Emmy and Golden Globe nominated actress Sarah Paulson has joined the cast of The Runner opposite Academy Award winning actor Nicolas Cage.  Paulson – a regular fixture of film, television and stage – has been quite prolific as of late, showing off an impressive versatility throughout a variety of media.  She most recently was seen on screens as the vengeful Mistress Epps in the Oscar winning 12 Years a Slave and played a major part in the FX anthology series American Horror Story: Coven opposite heavyweights Jessica Lange, Angela Bassett and Kathy Bates.

The Runner is a topical drama written and directed by Austin Stark, a first-time feature director who most prominently has served as producer for the recent indie titles Happymorethankyouplease, Hello I Must Be Going and the Mark Ruffalo film Infinitely Polar Bear, which premiered at the 2014 Sundance Film Festival.  The film takes place in New Orleans in the wake of the tragic 2010 BP oil spill and revolves around Colin Price (Cage), an idealistic, but troubled congressman who is forced to reconcile with his dysfunctional personal life after his political career is put into jeopardy by a sex scandal.  Madeleine Stowe, currently starring as Hamptons diva Victoria Grayson on the ABC primetime soap Revenge co-stars as Price’s steely wife.  Paulson is being eyed as a public relations consultant brought on to help restore Price’s political career.  The film is being produced by Paper Street Films and Back Lot Pictures.

The Runner is set to start filming in New Orleans some time this month, and given the talent associated will likely find itself into theaters in some capacity some time in 2015.  Paulson will next appear on screen in the recently wrapped drama Carol from director Todd Haynes opposite a sterling cast that includes Cate Blanchett and Rooney Mara – The Weinstein Company will release Carol either for an awards qualifying run later this year or wait until next year.  She is also set to appear in Season Four of American Horror Story entitled Freak Show.