America Ferrera to Star in Paul Greengrass’ Wildfire Drama ‘The Lost Bus’ With Matthew McConaughey (EXCLUSIVE)
variety.comClayton Davis Senior Awards Editor Oscar nominee America Ferrera has been cast in her next role outside of Barbie World. Ferrera has signed on to star in Oscar nominee Paul Greengrass’ upcoming drama “The Lost Bus” alongside Academy Award winner Matthew McConaughey, Variety has learned exclusively.
Set to be distributed by Apple Original Films with an original script by Brad Inglesby (“Mare of Easttown”), the film is based on Lizzie Johnson’s book “Paradise: One Town’s Struggle to Survive an American Wildfire” about the devastating 2018 California wildfires that resulted in over 100 deaths and destroyed the majority of the town Paradise, Calif.
It became the deadliest and most destructive wildfires in its history at the time. The movie centers on Kevin McKay (McConaughey) and Mary Ludwig (Ferrera), a bus driver and teacher who lead a school bus full of young students through the devastating California Camp Fire that ravaged the town of Paradise in 2018.
The film will go into production this spring. Ferrera is coming off receiving her first Academy Award nomination for best supporting actress for her role as Gloria, a mother and Mattel employee who embarks on an adventure to Barbie World in Greta Gerwig’s billion-dollar blockbuster “Barbie.” She is the ninth Latina actress ever nominated in this category and the first since Ariana DeBose won for “West Side Story” in 2021.
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