One of Madison, Wisconsin's most famous former residents could be set to get the big screen Hollywood treatment, with the family of Chris Farley putting its support behind a film biography exploring the late actor's life.Â
Farley's older brother, Tom Farley Jr., confirmed the project on Friday, telling the Wisconsin State Journal that he felt confident in the vision shared by the team behind the project.Â
The film will be based off the 2008 New York Times bestselling biography "The Chris Farley Story: A Biography in Three Acts," which Tom Farley Jr. wrote along with Tanner Colby using interviews with those closest to the late comedian.Â
A key figure in attracting the Farley family to the project was longtime "Saturday Night Live" producer Lorne Michaels, who is set to produce the film through his Broadway Video company.Â
People are also reading…
In addition to the team's clear vision for the film and the backing of Michaels, Tom Farley Jr. felt the talent attached to the project made it clear that now was the right time to pursue an adaptation of the book.Â
"They started shopping it around Hollywood this past week," Tom Farley Jr. told the State Journal, "and there was an immediate response."
The film is set to be directorial debut for Josh Gad, a veteran actor known by most audiences for his voice work as Olaf in Disney's "Frozen" series.Â
Playing Farley in the film will be Emmy winner Paul Walter Hauser, who has made a name for himself in recent years with performances in films such as "I, Tonya," "BlacKkKlansman" and "Richard Jewel" in addition to his award-winning work on Apple TV's "Black Bird."
The screenplay for the still untitled film will be written by Scott Neustadter and Michael H. Weber, a screenwriting duo that has written for films such as "(500) Days of Summer" and "The Fault in Our Stars."
Chris Farley — who rose to fame in the early 1990s as a cast member on "Saturday Night Live" before making the transition to starring roles in feature films such as "Tommy Boy," "Black Sheep" and "Beverly Hills Ninja" — grew up across the street from Lake Mendota in Madison.Â
Chris Farley graduated in 1982 from Madison Edgewood High School, where his comedic chops were honed as a member of the Crusaders' football team.Â
After high school, Chris Farley attended Marquette University in Milwaukee before moving to Chicago to further his chops as a performer at The Second City.Â
Following numerous stints at rehabilitation facilities during his acting career, Chris Farley was found dead in his Chicago apartment on Dec. 18, 1997, at the age of 33. A funeral service was held five days later at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church, with many of his friends from the entertainment industry, along with his former "SNL" boss Michaels, attending the service in Wisconsin.Â