Johnny Depp as James “Whitey” Bulger and director Scott Cooper on the set of the as-yet-untitled Bulger film, which has begun filming on location in Boston.
Credit: Claire Folger/Warner Bros. Pictures
The star-studded cast list for the James “Whitey” Bulger-based movie currently filmingin the Bostonarea is growing.
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Warner Bros. Pictures confirmed on Wednesday that joining Johnny Depp, who is portraying murderous mob boss Bulger, will be fellow actors Adam Scott, Sienna Miller, Joel Edgerton, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jesse Plemons and Jeremy Strong. A statement from the movie company also said that movie is so far untitled, but is based on the book “Black Mass.”
While Depp has been spotted around Greater Boston in full Whitey garb, the other actors have yet to be as visible in the Hub as Depp has been.
Scott, recently of “Parks and Recreation,” will play Robert Fitzpatrick, a former assistant special agent in charge of the Boston FBI office who has said he warned authorities about potential Bulger murder targets.
Miller will play Bulger’s longtime girlfriend Catherine Greig, who was sentenced to eight years in prison after fleeing Boston with Bulger.
The company confirmed rumors that Cumberbatch will portray Bulger’s brother and former state Senate president Billy Bulger.
Edgerton, who also appeared in “Zero Dark Thirty” and “The Great Gatsby,” will play corrupt FBI agent John Connolly, who let Bulger slide for years as the two shared information.
As for Bulger’s crew, “Breaking Bad” actor Plemons will portray Kevin Weeks and Rory Cochrane of “Argo” will play Stephen Flemmi.
Strong will play Josh Bond, who lived in Santa Monica and was a neighbor of Bulger and Greig’s during their time on the run and until their arrest in 2011.
Bulger, the leader of the Winter Hill Gang, was sentenced to life in prison last year after being found guilty of multiple federal charges. He and his lawyers denied accusations that he was ever an informant.
“Black Mass” is a book by Dick Lehr and Gerard O’Neill about the FBI’s alliance with Bulger.
Follow Michael Naughton on Twitter @metrobosmike.
