Jonathan M. Woodward

Gretchen Mol to Play the Title Role in Killer Films’ THE BALLAD OF BETTIE PAGE; Financed by HBO, Film is Directed by Mary Harron, and Written by Harron and Guinivere Turner Wednesday March 31, 11:21 am ET Lili Taylor, David Strathairn, Jonathan M. Woodward, Cara Seymour, Tara Subkoff and Kevin Carroll Also Star

NEW YORK, March 31 /PRNewswire/ — Killer Films is currently in pre-production on the feature film THE BALLAD OF BETTIE PAGE, starring Gretchen Mol ("Rounders") in the title role, it was announced today by Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler, co-presidents, Killer Films. The most successful pin-up model of the 1950s, Page’s legendary bondage photographs made her the target of a Senate investigation into pornography, and turned her into one of the first American sex icons. The film is directed by Mary Harron ("I Shot Andy Warhol") from a script by Harron and Guinivere Turner ("American Psycho"). The executive producers are Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler, and the producer is Lori Keith Douglas. ADVERTISEMENT

The cast also includes Lili Taylor ("Casa de los babys"), David Strathairn ("Twisted"), Jonathan M. Woodward ("Pipe Dream"), Cara Seymour ("Gangs of New York"), Tara Subkoff ("The Cell") and Kevin Carroll ("The Secret Lives of Dentists").

Gretchen Mol recently appeared as Jenny in Neil LaBute’s film "The Shape of Things," with Paul Rudd and Rachel Weisz. All three actors previously originated the same roles in LaBute’s play in London, which they reprised for the New York stage. Her other feature film credits include "Rounders," opposite Matt Damon and Edward Norton, plus Woody Allen’s "Celebrity," "The Thirteenth Floor," "Music From Another Room," opposite Jude Law, and "Just Looking," directed by Jason Alexander. She also appeared in A&E’s "The Magnificent Ambersons" with Madeline Stowe and Jonathan Rhys Meyers. Mol recently wrapped a run on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning musical "Chicago."

Mary Harron’s credits include "American Psycho," which starred Christian Bale, Jared Leto, Josh Lucas, Justin Theroux, Reese Witherspoon, Willem Dafoe and Chloe Sevigny. She made her feature film writing and directing debut with "I Shot Andy Warhol," which was released in 1996 and starred Lili Taylor, Jared Harris and Martha Plimpton. Harron’s TV directing credits include HBO’s "Oz," "Homicide: Life on the Street" and "The L Word."

Lili Taylor most recently earned an Emmy® nomination for her recurring role on HBO’s "Six Feet Under." Her TV credits also include "Anne Frank," HBO’s "Subway Stories," "Mad About You," "The X-Files" and "Deadline." She has appeared in the feature films "High Fidelity," "Say Anything," "Casa de los babys," "Four Rooms," "Rudy," "Born on the Fourth of July," "Mystic Pizza" and her breakout role in "I Shot Andy Warhol."

David Strathairn currently appears in "Twisted," with Ashley Judd and Samuel L. Jackson, and is featured in the new season of HBO’s "The Sopranos." His other films include "Harrison’s Flowers," "The Firm," "The River Wild," "Eight Men Out," "Losing Isaiah," "Dolores Claiborne" and the HBO Pictures dramas "Judgment" and "Without Warning: The James Brady Story." He also recently appeared on the New York stage in the revivals of "Three Sisters" and "Dance of Death." In 2003, he portrayed the prophet Jokanaan in the revival stage theater reading of "Salome" with Al Pacino, Marisa Tomei and Dianne Wiest.

Jonathan M. Woodward starred in the Emmy Award-winning HBO Films presentation "Wit," "A Town Without Pity" and the cult hit, "Pipe Dream." He also appeared in the recurring role of Knox on the series "Angel." Woodward has also made guest appearances on "Third Watch" and "Buffy the Vampire Slayer."

Cara Seymour recently appeared as Hell-Cat Maggie in Martin Scorsese’s "Gangs of New York" and as Amelia in the award-winning film "Adaptation." She also appeared in Lars von Trier’s "Dancer in the Dark," "American Psycho" and "You’ve Got Mail." She can be seen in the upcoming film "Evergreen."

Tara Subkoff’s film roles include "The Cell," "Undermind," Julie Delpy’s "Looking for Jimmy," "As Good As It Gets," "True Crime," and "The Last Days of Disco." She also stars in the upcoming film "Anchorman" with Will Ferrell.

Kevin Carroll recently appeared in the critically-acclaimed film "The Secret Lives of Dentists." His other credits include "Paid in Full," "Paper Soldiers," "Monsters," "Pipe Dream," "Being John Malkovich," "The Object of My Affection," "Jesus’ Son" and HBO’s "Always Outnumbered."

Executive producers Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler are partners (with Katie Roumel) in Killer Films, founded in 1996. Credits under the Killer Films banner include "Office Killer "; "Kiss Me, Guido"; Todd Haynes’ "Velvet Goldmine," which was featured in competition at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival; Todd Solondz’ "Happiness" and "Storytelling" (with Good Machine); and John Cameron Mitchell’s "Hedwig and The Angry Inch," which won the Audience Award and Director Award at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival. Killer produced Kimberly Peirce’s "Boys Don’t Cry," which won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe for Hilary Swank’s performance, and earned Oscar and Golden Globe nominations for Chloe Sevigny’s supporting role.

Killer Films’ "One Hour Photo," starring Robin Williams, Connie Nielsen and Michael Vartan, debuted at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival. Their third collaboration with Todd Haynes, "Far From Heaven," starring Julianne Moore, Dennis Quaid and Dennis Haysbert, swept the New York Film Critics Awards in 2002, as well as the 2003 Independent Spirit Awards. The film also received four Academy Award nominations, including Best Actress and Best Original Screenplay. Other Killer Films credits include Robert Altman’s "The Company," "The Grey Zone," "The Safety of Objects," "Party Monster," "I’m Losing You," "Crime + Punishment in Suburbia" and "Series 7: The Contenders."

Killer Films is currently in production on "Mrs. Harris," starring Annette Bening and Sir Ben Kingsley, for HBO. They are in post-production on "A Home at the End of the World," written by Michael Cunningham and starring Colin Farrell, Robin Wright Penn, Sissy Spacek and Dallas Roberts; and John Waters’ "A Dirty Shame" (co-produced with Ted Hope), starring Johnny Knoxville, Tracey Ullman and Selma Blair.