Post-Oscar and McConaissance, Matthew McConaughey has been picky about the roles he takes on, choosing to work with the likes of Christopher Nolan and Gus Van Sant. He’s currently considering one of Hunger Games director Gary Ross’s passion projects, entering talks to star in **Free State Of Jones.
According to Deadline, Ross has been developing this one for several years, planning a new take on the life of Newton Knight, who led one of the most famous rebellions in America’s Civil War. A Mississippi man who had been a loyal Confederate recruit, he defected from the army and took a group of like-minded troops with him to create the Free State of Jones. Knight later married a slave, creating one of the first ever publicised mixed race unions in the South, fought against the Confederates from within his new state and led a daring raid to free children who were still enslaved following the end of the conflict.
It’s not the first time his life has been dramatized; 1948’s** Tap Roots** adapted a book about the man with Van Heflin and Susan Hayward starring. But a project featuring McConaughey would surely garner even more attention.
The actor will next be seen in Interstellar, which finally arrives here this week. He’s also worked on Van Sant’s Sea Of Trees, due to arrives next year.