Emily Rios has landed the key role of Victoria in Barry Jenkins’ Moonlight followup, If Beale Street Could Talk, which is currently in production. Starring KiKi Layne, the drama is based on James Baldwin’s novel about Tish, a newly engaged Harlem woman who races against the clock to prove her lover’s innocence while carrying their first child to term. Rios joins an impressive cast roaster that includes Stephan James, Colman Domingo, Brian Tyree Henry, Dave Franco, Ed Skrein, and Regina King. Jenkins penned the script and is producing under his Pastel label with Annapurna Pictures and Plan B. Rios, who is known for her roles in AMC’s Breaking Bad and John Singleton’s FX series, Snowfall, is repped by Kass Management & Domain.

Actor Craig Di Francia (Power) has been added to the cast of Green Book, the Peter Farrelly directed drama based on the true story of Italian-American bouncer Tony Lip. Viggo Mortensen, Mahershala Ali, and Linda Cardellini are set to star in the film, which was also written by Farrelly along with Nick Vallelonga and Brian Currie. Set in 1962, Lip was hired to drive Dr. Don Shirley, one of the world’s finest jazz pianists, on a concert tour from New York City through the pre-civil rights-era Deep South. The men relied on the Negro Motorist Green Book to guide them to the few motels, restaurants and gas stations they could use below the Mason-Dixon Line. Participant Media will release the pic via its output arrangements with Amblin Partners. Farrelly, Vallelonga, and Currie are producing with Jim Burke and Charles Wessler. Exec producers are Participant’s Jeff Skoll and Jonathan King, along with Cinetic Media’s John Sloss and Steve Farneth as well as Kwame Parker. DiFrancia is repped by Circle of 10 Talent and June Entertainment.