Halston Sage does not hold back on spilling secrets about her Paper Towns castmates. “We used to sing ‘Blank Space’ on set all the time,” she says of working on the road-trip adventure, the newest film adaptation of a beloved John Green novel. “John and Nat [Wolff] would kill me for saying that!” she adds with a laugh.
The bubbly 22-year-old is still recovering from the regular Taylor Swift sing-alongs and “pure fun” that came with playing Cara Delevingne’s on-screen BFF, Lacey Pemberton. Halston’s role in last year’s Neighbors (with then-rumored boyfriend Zac Efron) let her represent crazy college life; Paper Towns (shot in Charlotte, North Carolina), on the other hand, allowed her to relive high school. “The cast was together 24/7,” says the Los Angeles native. “I went to an all-girls school when I was younger, so being able to hang out with kids my age, live in an apartment building with them, and go to work with these people every day was really cool.”
From water-park antics to late-night milk shakes and sundaes at the diner, the experiences this crew shared formed a connection that’s sure to last—especially Halston’s relationship with a certain top model. “I know Cara and I are going to be lifelong friends,” she says. “Making a movie is like an accelerated version of growing up with someone. You spend so many hours a day with each other, and you’re putting your heart into this same effort.”
The best part of her performance? Bringing John Green’s words to life. “I would do a million more movies with John. He’s the coolest person I’ve ever met,” she says. We’re sure the feeling is mutual.
Jake Schreier is directing Fox 2000’s coming-of-age movie, which stars Nat Wolff and Cara Delevinge
Austin Abrams, Halston Sage and newcomer Justice Smith are joining Fox 2000’s adaptation of John Green’s bestselling novel ”Paper Towns,” TheWrap has learned.
Nat Wolff and model Cara Delevinge will star in the coming-of-age drama, which is being directed by Jake Schreier.
Wolff will play the lead role of Quentin, whose world changes when the lovely Margo (Delevinge) moves in right next door when he’s nine years old. They become best friends but grow apart over the years only to reconnect in the last few weeks of high school. When Margo mysteriously disappears, Quentin and his best friends go on a journey to find her, and in the course of their road trip, discover a lot about life.
Abrams, Sage and Smith will respectively play Ben, Lacey and Radar — Quentin’s friends who journey with him to New York City to search for Margo.
Abrams closed his deal Thursday evening, while Sage and Smith’s deals are expected to close soon.
Screenwriters Scott Neustadter and Michael Weber are producing with “Fault In Our Stars” author Green and Temple Hill’s Marty Bowen, Wyck Godfrey and Isaac Klausner.
Sage is an up-and-coming young actress who appeared in “Neighbors” and was a series regular on NBC’s “Crisis.” She next stars in Sony’s “Goosebumps” and Paramount’s “Scouts vs Zombies.” She’s represented by CAA, ROAR and attorney Michael Schenkman.
Abrams co-starred on MTV’s “The InBetweeners” and appeared in both “The Kings of Summer” and “Gangster Squad.” He has booked three indie movies in the last month, having recently wrapped “Medicine Men” with James Le Gros and “The Greens Are Gone” with Kiernan Shipka, Catherine Keener and Anton Yelchin. Abrams will also play the leads in Werner Herzog’s “Vernon God Little” and Adam Christian Clark’s “Aaron Baby Superfecta.” He’s represented by APA, Industry Entertainment and attorney Derek Kroeger.