Last seen kicking Michael Cera’s ass (at least until he was told about her sneaky knee weakness) in Scott Pilgrim Vs the World, Mae Whitman is now switching from bone-breaking to heart-breaking in indie coming-of-age drama The Perks of Being a Wallflower.
Written by Stephen Chbosky in 1999, Wallflower follows a shy, awkward and completely unpopular high school student who writes long letters to an anonymous pen pal, spilling his guts about his feelings as he navigates the difficult social byways of teen life.
Percy Jackson actor Logan Lerman is locked in to star, with Emma Roberts also on board. Whitman will play Mary Elizabeth, a tattoo-sporting vegetarian who is Lerman’s first girlfriend.
Chbosky adapted the book himself and aims to start shooting next month in Pittsburgh.
Whitman, meanwhile, is usually to be found starring on US TV network drama Parenthood and film-wise, has most recently finished work as John Cusack’s daughter in The Factory. She’s also attached to the sprawling ensemble cast of Maggie Carey’s comedy The Hand Job.