Bottle Shock director Randall Miller continued to add to the ensemble cast for his upcoming music drama CBGB, based on the iconic punk music club CBGB & OMFUG (Country Bluegrass Blues and Other Music For Uplifting Gormandizers) in the Bowery and its colorful founder Hilly Kristal. According to Variety, Ashley Greene, best known as Alice Cullen in The Twilight Saga, joined CBGB as Lisa Kristal, the daughter of club owner Hilly Kristal, to be played by Alan Rickman. Hilly Kristal helped launch alternative banks like the Talking Heads, Blondie, the Ramones and the Patti Smith Group.
Malin Akerman signed on to play Blondie lead singer Debbie Harry. Harry Potter regular Rupert Grint joined as Dead Boys guitarist Cheetah Chrome. Stana Katic, co-star of the ABC series Castle joined as music producer Genya Raven. Miller also signed Estelle Harris (Hilly's mother); Julian Acosta (Johnny Ramone), Richard De Klerk, Josh Zuckerman and Ryan Hurst. Joel David Moore, last seen opposite Amanda Seyfried in the crime thriller Gone, joined CBGB as Joey Ramone, the lead vocalist of the iconic punk band The Ramones.
Miller co-wrote the script with Jody Savin, who originally was set to direct the movie. Miller also joined Savin as co-producer via their Unclaimed Freight Productions banner along with Brad Rosenberger.
Up next for Greene are roles in The Weinstein Company comedy Butter and the Warner Bros. horror movie The Apparition.