While I Am Number Four and Beastly didn’t help his career as much as he might have hoped, Magic Mike looks like it may be the movie that truly breaks Alex Pettyfer into the big time. Now Deadline reports that Pettyfer has joined the cast of The Butler for director Lee Daniels (Precious).
The movie is about Eugene Allen (Forest Whitaker), who served as a White House butler for over 35 years. He first started working at the Presidential residence under Harry S. Truman in 1952, and retired during Ronald Reagan’s second term in 1986.
Pettyfer will play Thomas Westphall, a character from Eugene Allen’s early life who had a significant influence on the man. Other cast members include Oprah Winfrey, David Oyelowo, Jane Fonda, Alan Rickman, Minka Kelly, Cuba Gooding Jr., and Terrence Howard.
Lee Daniels is directing from a screenplay he co-wrote with Danny Strong. Filming is scheduled to begin next month in New Orleans.