Kelly Discusses Timberlake & Moore In ‘Southland Tales’

When Richard Kelly shot ‘Southland Tales’ more than a year ago, he encountered plenty of the problems that plague independently financed films. But landing big names wasn’t one of them, thanks to his post-’Donnie Darko’ buzz and a willingness to allow his actors to stretch. “We have Justin Timberlake in the film, playing a disfigured Iraq war veteran, and he’s the heart and soul of it,” Kelly said of the singer, who was eager to get past his pretty-boy mage. “[Timberlake is] this doomsday prophet, and he’s our narrator. And Mandy Moore plays the spoiled-brat daughter of a Texas senator. You see a lot of these actors taking their image and shaking it up, showing different parts of themselves. It’s exciting to see them in roles you wouldn’t expect.” Read more.