Given that the Farrelly brothers have picked actors primarily known for TV work as Larry Fine and Curly Howard in The Three Stooges, it should come as no real surprise that they’re leaning towards a telly veteran in Chris Diamantopoulos for Moe Howard.
Variety reports that the actor (we’re going to have to come up with some sort of word processing macro to avoid typing that name out all the time) is now the front-runner for the choice part, the patriarch of the trio.
No formal offer has gone out just yet as 20th Century Fox hasn’t officially approved his casting, but it appears to be a matter of formality and that he’ll be in place before the Farrellys kick off shooting in Atlanta.
Diamantopoulos (copy and paste is our friend!) has been seen in the likes of 24’s eighth season, The Starter Wife, Eli Stone, Boston Legal, Nip/Tuck and many more, and also provides a wealth of voices for US ‘toon American Dad! Apparently it was his performance as a younger Robin Williams in a 2005 TV movie about behind the scenes at Mork & Mindy that convinced the Hall Pass co-directors he was the man with the, er, Moe-jo.
With Sasso and Hayes locked and Sofia Vergara close to a deal to play the female lead, the Farrellys can finally realise their dream of shooting three interconnected segments that will form one film. And, if the fates smile on them, it’ll be out next year.