Emile Hirsch Set to Play John Belushi in Upcoming Biopic

Get the casting scoop!

By Brett Malec Oct 28, 2013 11:43 PMTags
Emile Hirsch, John BelushiWireImage; Getty Images

Emile Hirsch has landed the role of John Belushi.

The 28-year-old actor will portray the late funnyman in director Steve Conrad's upcoming untitled biopic, E! News confirms.

Conrad's flick is being adapted from a book written by Belushi's widow, Judith Belushi Pisano, and Tanner Colby. The biopic is scheduled to start shooting in spring of 2014.

The Hirsch casting news comes 31 years after Belushi passed away. The famed Saturday Night Live comedian and Blues Brothers actor died in March 1982 at age 33 from a drug overdose while staying at West Hollywood hotel Chateau Marmont.

The role of John's actor brother Jim Belushi has yet to be cast.

This isn't the first time that Hirsch has played a real person. He portrayed athlete Christopher McCandless in 2007's Into the Wild and played 1970s AIDS activist Cleve Jones in Milk.

Hirsch can next be seen in the A&E miniseries Bonnie & Clyde.