Country acts Jason Isbell and Sturgill Simpson will join the cast of the forthcoming Martin Scorsese film Killers Of The Flower Moon.
The film, set in 1920s Oklahoma, tells the story of the Reign of Terror, a series of murders against Osage Native Americans whose land was rich in oil. As Deadline reports, Isbell will play Bill Smith, an adversary of Leonardo DiCaprio’s character Ernest Burkhart, while Sturgill will play bootlegger Henry Grammer.
When I say I am EXCITED https://t.co/7fl0A6npZx
— Jason Isbell (@JasonIsbell) April 6, 2021
Simpson and Isbell join a previously-announced cast that includes DiCaprio, Robert De Niro and Jesse Plemons. While this will be Isbell’s acting debut, Simpson has starred in a small number of productions, including The Dead Don’t Die, Queen Slim and The Hunt.
Both artists released records in 2020. Isbell released ‘Reunions’ back in May, his fourth album with backing band The 400 Unit and seventh overall. Isbell also received a resurgence of interest in his 2013 song ‘Cover Me Up’ after it was covered by pop-country star Morgan Wallen.
Simpson, meanwhile, released two full-length volumes of his ‘Cuttin’ Grass’ sessions, which reimagined tracks from his back catalogue as bluegrass songs. The first and second instalments were released in October and December, respectively. Tracks from the LPs were performed live on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
Last last year, both men were also critical of the Country Music Association after it failed to recognise the late John Prine during the 2020 awards ceremony.