**A Star-Making Role for Zoey Deutch in 'The 99ers'**
The actress, who stole the show at the Sundance Film Festival with her role in 'Celebrity Sex Pass,' has just landed her next leading part. Deutch will portray trailblazing U.S. Women's soccer executive Marla Messing in 'The 99ers,' a thrilling sports drama directed by Nicole Kassell, known for her award-winning work on HBO's 'Watchmen.' The film is being produced by Liza Chasin through her 3Dot Productions banner, Hayley Stool, and Ross Greenburg.
Adapted from Jeré Longman's book 'The Girls of Summer: The US Women’s Soccer Team and How It Changed the World,' 'The 99ers' follows the 1990s US Women's National Soccer Team as they defied the odds under the scorching summer sun and in a stadium filled with 93,000 fans to emerge victorious in a dramatic penalty kick shootout against China in the World Cup final. This monumental win captivated millions worldwide and forever altered the course of women's sports.
Deutch will portray Marla Messing, the U.S. Women's soccer executive who oversaw the massively successful 1999 World Cup tournament that set attendance and TV viewership records, becoming the largest women-only sporting event ever. The star-studded cast already includes Emily Bader as soccer legend Mia Hamm. Shooting is set to begin in February in New Jersey.
The script is written by Katie Lovejoy ('Love at First Sight,' 'To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before 3'), Dana Stevens ('The Woman King,' 'Fatherhood'), and Peter Hedges ('About a Boy'). Messing is among the executive producers, alongside Jill Mazursky and Krista Smith.
Deutch previously showcased her remarkable talent in Richard Linklater's 'Nouvelle Vague,' where she played the iconic French New Wave figure Jean Seberg, earning her a Film Independent Spirit Award nomination for best supporting performance. She will next star in Netflix's romantic drama 'Voicemails for Isabelle.'
As Deutch basks in the glory of the Sundance premiere of 'Celebrity Sex Pass,' directed by David Wain, where she plays a Kansan hairdresser on an epic journey to L.A. to cash in on her hall pass to have sex with Jon Hamm, 'The 99ers' promises to be another highlight of her illustrious career.
Deutch is represented by CAA, Untitled Entertainment, and Hansen, Jacobson.
