She’s been seen on screens big and small in the likes of Skins, Gossip Girl and The Immigrant, but Sofia Black-D’Elia is preparing to take a step into blockbuster territory, securing the role of Tirzah in **Ben-Hur.
Taken once again from Lew Wallace’s 1880 novel, the new version aims to chronicle the younger days of Judah Ben-Hur (Jack Huston) and Messala (Toby Kebbell), best friends growing up in Jerusalem. Ben-Hur is a Jewish prince and Messala the son of a Roman tax collector who is packed off to be educated in Rome for five years. Upon his return, Messala mocks our hero for his religion. After an accident he pins on his friend, he has him sold into slavery, while imprisoning his mother and sister (a role that Olivia Cooke was circling until recently, but that Black-D’Elia will now fill). Cue a quest for revenge that includes (in the 1959 Charlton Heston film, at any rate) the iconic chariot race.
Morgan Freeman is already aboard to play Ildarin, the man who teaches Ben-Hur how to be a master at the reins for the races. Man Of Steel's Ayelet Zurer, meanwhile, will be back on Hero’s Mother duty, playing Naomi, Ben-Hur’s mum, while Pedro Pascal is also down to play a part. Keith Clarke wrote the original script, which John Ridley has since rewritten.
Black-D’Elia will next be seen in sci-fi tale Project Almanac, which arrives here on February 13. She’s also part of the cast for US network series The Messengers.