American Beauty live-read cast features Bryan Cranston

Bryan Cranston, Christina Hendricks, Woody Harrelson and CBC’s George Stroumboulopoulos will star in TIFF’s surprise live reading of American Beauty hosted Thursday by Juno director Jason Reitman.

The film, about the dark side of American suburbia, premiered at TIFF 13 years ago and netted Oscars for director Sam Mendes, writer Alan Ball and lead actor Kevin Spacey.

Since last October, Montreal native Reitman has organized and narrated the stage directions for a series of live-reads with A-list actors in Los Angeles, including The Breakfast Club with Jennifer Garner, Shampoo with Bradley Cooper and Kate Hudson, and The Big Lebowski with Seth Rogen.

For the Toronto live-read premiere on stage Thursday at the Ryerson Theatre, the former Ryerson student puts Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) in the lead role of Lester Burnham, a mid-level advertising executive in the throes of a mid-life crisis who becomes infatuated with his daughter’s friend Angela.

Playing Burnham’s bitter and unfaithful wife Carolyn is sultry Christina Hendricks of Mad Men fame.

Toronto-born Sarah Gadon (Cosmopolis) steps into Mena Suvari’s shoes as Angela Hayes, the teen object of Lester’s rose-petal-filled sexual fantasies and his daughter’s cheerleader best friend.

Lester’s rebellious and introverted daughter Jane (originally played by Thora Birch) will be read by Mae Whitman (Amber in Parenthood).

Ricky, played by Wes Bentley in the film, will be read by Adam Driver, best-known as Hannah’s sort-of boyfriend in HBO sitcom Girls.

Woody Harrelson plays Ricky’s abusive, homophobic, gun-collecting ex-marine father Col. Frank Fitts.

It’s Harrelson that Strombo is most excited to join on stage — the CBC talk show host has a smaller role in the live-read playing Jim Olmeyer, one half of a happy, normal gay couple (both named Jim) who are neighbours to the Burnhams.

Stroumboulopoulos, who says the group won’t do any rehearsal before Thursday, describes the enduring impact of American Beauty.

“I remember watching it and talking to friends who were roughly the same age as Spacey was,” he says. “I remember really enjoying the film, but there was an uneasiness and almost panic in these guys’ eyes because they could almost relate to that. And I remember saying I can’t wait to experience this movie when I’m older.

“And I mean, to be part of that dialogue. It’s poetic and fluid, but when you cut through the cinema of it, it’s severe. It’s heavy to carry around with you because it’s real, you know.This a simple guide to help collectors and enthusiasts to buy air jordan shoes. I think to hear rather than see it in the cinema sense, is going to leave different mark on the audience.”