Director Seth Gordon’s latest comedic venture already has some great talent attached to it ‐ Melissa McCarthy will star in the film, Identity Theft, in a role tailor-made for her: as a character who steals Jason Bateman’s identity. But as amusing as it might be to just see those two duke it out for ninety minutes, every film needs supporting characters, and Gordon has just lined up an unexpected pick for one of those roles.
Did you know that rapper T.I. (he of such notable hits as “Bring Em Out,” “Big Shit Poppin’ (Do It),” “Sleazy Remix 2.0: Get Sleazier,” “Murda Bizness,” and “Swing Ya Rag”) also acts? He does! Apparently he’s looking to diversify his portfolio after getting out of jail for those federal weapons charges! Yay! T.I. will reportedly play a bounty hunter in the film, one who hunts both McCarthy and Bateman after Bateman’s character “becomes an unlikely companion” to McCarthy (um, post-identity theft).
The rapper-turned-actor has been slowly building himself a varied body of work, with roles in ATL, American Gangster, and Takers, along with small screen work on his reality show Family Hustle and a newly-booked season-long arc on the Kelsey Grammer-starring series Boss. T.I. (who usually gets acting credits under his real name, Tip Harris) has yet to do any comedic work, so Identity Theft could be a breakthrough for him or, at the very least, a way for him to spice up his resume.
Gordon’s last film, Horrible Bosses, featured another unexpected turn from an actor, with Jamie Foxx playing a for-hire killer with a terrifyingly amusing streak a mile wide. Here’s hoping Harris does something similar with Identity Theft. [Deadline Buford]
