The star-studded cast of Ben Affleck’s Netflix thriller “Animals” is bolstering its ranks. Ray Fisher, Mark Kassen and Christopher Woodley have joined the film alongside Affleck, Gillian Anderson, Kerry Washington, Steven Yeun, Luis Gerardo Méndez and Adriana Paz.
Golden Globe and Emmy nominated filmmaker, playwright and actor Mark Kassen is the founder of Like Minded Entertainment and co-founder of the civic engagement platform A Starting Point. Mark’s feature film directing and producing credits include “Puncture” starring Chris Evans, “Bernard and Doris” starring Ralph Fiennes and Susan Sarandon for HBO, and Chris Evans’ ‘Before We Go”.
Kassen has produced and been showrunner of multiple scripted, reality and documentary series across networks such as Fox, MTV, IFC, AMC and Sundance Channel. He also starred in the Tony Award winning Broadway production of “The Last Night of Ballyhoo,” and as wrote and starred in the critically acclaimed off-Broadway, multimedia play “Little Willy.” He recently directed and starred in “PH-1,” a political thriller starring Abubakar Salim, Dina Shihabi, Vinessa Shaw, and Jesse L. Martin.
Filming for the project, written by Connor McIntyre and Billy Ray, is now currently underway in Los Angeles. The film embraces the city as an integral part of the story. Following the devastating wildfires that ripped through the area earlier this year, the producers are committed to supporting the local film industry, keeping jobs within the community and reinforcing Los Angeles as a hub for filmmaking.
The film will be produced by Affleck, Matt Damon, Dani Bernfeld and Lucy Damon of Artists Equity, the artist-led studio founded by Affleck, Damon, and Gerry Cardinale/RedBird Capital Partners — and Brad Weston and Collin Creighton of Makeready, who developed the project in partnership with Fifth Season.
Artists Equity’s Michael Joe and Kevin Halloran will serve as executive producers alongside Fifth Season.
Kassen is repped by CAA.
