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EXCLUSIVE: While Gerard Butler was announced as the big name in the Curtis Hanson-directed surf movie Mavericks, the lead role all the young actors chased is Jay Moriarty, the teenage big-wave rider who successfully rode Mavericks. That is a body of water in Northern California that became popular with daredevil surfers who braved the structure and rocks to ride waves the size of five-story buildings. Twenty-two year-old Jonny Weston has been offered and is in negotiations for the lead role of Moriarty in the Walden Media-backed film.
Kario Salem and Brandon Hooper wrote the script and Hooper is producing with Jim Meenaghan. Butler plays Rick “Frosty” Hesson, the mentor who trained Moriarty to ride the Mavericks when the surfer was just 16. Though Moriarity survived those impossible waves, he died at 22 in a diving accident. But he remains an inspiration to surfers, who coined the phrase “Live like Jay.” Weston’s is currently shooting Cherry, starring alongside James Franco and Dev Patel in the Stephen Elliot-directed indie drama. He’s an accomplished surfer, which helped his cause. Weston’s repped by ICM, 3 Arts and Jeff Gill.
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Reading The Wave by Susan Casey right now. She spends some time with these types of surfers (Liard Hamilton et al) who get towed into these monster waves. Very interesting read, particular about what’s happening in the high seas -we are losing a lot of large ships. Another movie could be about the homeless runaway kid in Mexico named Coco Nogales who ended up becoming a big wave rider.
It’s Laird Hamilton actually and it is a really great book.
Hi Annideluc -Thanks for the correction and sorry for the typo. I’m about to pick up Casey’s book on Great Whites now. An entire book about waves and now one about great whites. Casey sure knows who to turn around interesting books with quite a bit of focus.
YUP – I agree, a movie about Coco, would be awesome. I read a profile on him few years back in a US surf mag, and his tale is truly extraordinary. I pay money to see that!
Don’t make movies about surfing, kooks, they always suck, and so will this.
Go Home.
…said the body boarding douche from Van Nuys!
Best post of the night… so tired of these busboy haters (where ever they’re “bussing” from, Van Nuys to Vandenburg).
As a SoCal surfer for over 25 years I can firmly and absolutely attest to the fact that anyone that uses the word “kook” in a sentence either IS one or is a boogie boarder — probably both.
Only surfers should make movies about surfing! Most Hollywood Suits can’t grasp the what real lifestyle of surfing is about.
Pay attention Jim Meenaghan- hire a really good surf specialist/sports coordinator/2nd Unit Director if you want ANYONE in the surf community to embrace this film!
Yeah that’s a very good point. And only football players should make movies about football, and only international spies should make movies about international spies. Especially if you ANYONE in the football or international espionage communities to embrace it!
Ironic post… seeing Jim Meenaghan was a top norcal jr. “big wave surfer” in high school… but then again… this site reminds me of high school.
Yeah. Oooops!
Sacred ground, don’t mess it up — it’s an amazing story — the kid was out there surfing those mutants all by himself for years… it should have the dignity of Raging Bull, it’s not Rocky… it’s Eight Men Out … small — Ansbaugh did it with Rudy and Hoosiers — it’ll need and even lighter touch… I quit the business for surfing, it is the most real in the moment thing on earth…I live in Mexico now, full time — but I’d see this film… this one and Senna… but that’s about it.
Where in Mex? We have a place at Baja Malibu. LOVE it down there!
Sayulita — about an hour north of PV.
Gotta say I’m pessimistic about most surf films… but this one seems to be shaping up in interesting fashion. I mean Gerard Butler is getting raves in Machine Gun Preacher, then they go and cast an unknown to play the lead role… and you got Curtis Hanson at the helm? Wonder Boys, 8 Mile, LA Confidential… Have to be honest, I’m feeling cautiously optimistic about this one.
Every surfing movie has blown chunks
Best surf movie moment ever was Bobby Vinton, in trunks and tennis shoes, running on Malibu beach, in a daylight scene, that was shot almost in darkness
Agreed… But what does that homoerotic image have to do with surfing? Bobby Vinton in trunks and tennis shoes jogging on the beach?? Are you on halcyon?
Not every surf film sucks. Big Wednesday was decent. But that’s about it.
An ignorant post. Have you not seen Big Wednesday? It’s the Arthurian Legend as told through surfing — and it’s made by Milius, who’s badass enough without the fact that he was a surfer. Get off my beach!
They suck because the creative forces consistently fail to capture the true tone. Surfing is something you have to live and experience to truly get.
You want to capture the tone? Watch RIDING GIANTS 20 times and you might begin to get a glimpse.
MAVERICKS is a good script. The trick will be executing it in a light real to the world, but while attempting to put asses in seats with a wider appeal outside of us (surfers).
Great win for Jonny and another nice win for ICM!
TJ, you have Jay Moriarty confused with Jeff Clark.
Jeff is the one who surfed the place alone for 15 years.
Jay is famous for *wiping out* on a huge wave at Mavericks, the photo of which made the cover of Surfer magazine, with the caption “Oh my God!”.
You are absolutely right, mate — apologies… still, if they make this thing, I hope they’re keep it little, let the wave be big, but it’s a tiny story — I was thinking Jeff, not Jay — I guess I’m not familiar with Moriarty’s story… He died climbing? I was wondering i Clark died — but that’s one of the perks of living south in central west coast Mex.
Nope, I surf right hand point breaks, standing up, often the ranch. Enjoy Malibu with your five hundred closest friends.
The surfing movie: what a commercially solid genre. Way to go, guys!
But seriously, which male exec’s mid-life crisis spawned this project?
Kudos to this story for getting made (if you know it, it’s unbelievable). Peace will change the world, love with literally change it. Good job to the producers, or who ever saw it through (so much bad stuff out there getting made — and this is truly inspiring).
How about a simple… “Fuck Yeah!!” An unbelievable story, a REAL SURF STORY, is finally getting made — amidst this “Bernie Madoff” bullshit world we live within. There is a god… and his name is… wait, who is distributing again??
Have to laugh at the surfer snark — SUP at Hollister Ranch? Really? Wow — anyway, heading out again down here for the first light session — we’ve had two weeks of great swell, a very sweet run; been glassy and OH and and and and… oh, yeah, when it’s really busy, there was like almost TEN guys in the water… okay, maybe eight… and we take turns on set waves. The last time I drove past Trestles it looked like an Indonesian Ferry had capsized… so many bodies in the water.
both the producers are surfers. Not just day tripper surfers, but real surfers. They’ll get it done right. The bigger concern is how Walden will muck this up with their keen, finger always on the pulse insight.
Let Curtis and his team make the movie the envision.
I bow to your life decision.
And, no, I don’t SUP at the ranch it anywhere else, it was a response to the bodyguard douche comment. SUPpers can kiss my ass 99 percent of them are retarded, just like 99 percent of surf movies. The only decent fictional surf flick was Big Wednesday. The spot that they shot for Malibu is my favorite place, most people won’t know where that is.
I do…
And another thing, if anyone is making an inspirational surf Film, they should make the Eddie story. I saw the package for the biopic and it’s good.
Kooks.
yup, totally agree. An Eddie story would be the best. Stoked on this though, just have to agree with you – Eddie’s story IS Hollywood. I’d watch that. thanks for the reminder…
Surfing movies only play in Cali. The rest of the U.S. does not give a crap, they can not relate to it at all. I’ve been in SoCal for 15 years. From FL I was big into water sports, that used engines, Boating, Jet skiing, Wakeboarding. Came out here and found surfing to be its own animal, lifestyle and demographic which is very unique to Cali. Surfing works if its part of the story like in “Point Break” But not if it “IS” the story.
My great grandmother surfed and paddled in Oahu in the 50s. My dad came up surfing in the 60s. My first wave at 3, and I came up surfing all of California, from Pt. Arena to SD, surfed japan, Mex, Bali. I ride CI and Patagonia. I own a boat, which gets me to my favorite spots. Been surfing for 40 years. And I am suck and tired of people cashing in on the soul of my culture. This is my religion.
Kook.
Hey “Kook” Dude, I know it seems that life is unfair a times, but really… stop drinking, stop posting, and go to bed. If that means getting an actual job. so you literally have to sleep… Or if that means writing your “Eddie Aikau” screenplay, or your “My great, great grandmother founded the sport of surfing” novel, or even just your YouTube video, “I don’t SUP bitches, but love to boogie, boogie board — the life story of some fuck in the valley”… whatever, but bottom line… just log off and go to bed. You’ll feel better in the am. I promise.
we’re all “suck and tired” you boogie boarding tool! anyone who needs to go to those lengths to establish some cred ain’t the real thing. paddling out at Doheny with your filthy gut hanging over your Dolphin shorts makes you a tool. but your comments make us all laugh.
mate, you’re awesome!
the “real” surfing life style? lol. buncha lazy, bubble-headed morons protecting their “turf”. yawn. line most oft heard at socal surf spots “hey, can you spare a dollar for a sanwich?” keep rippin’, dudes. lol
Big Wednesday. Decent. Apocalypse Now. Better
Anyone involved in Hollywood or the biz is a kook.
Kook. No one knows that drakes and lefts and rights were the stand in for Bu in BW?
Your the the surfing communities tallest dwarf
About 100 other auditions for this role were not even viewed and just ignored. Mine being one of them. I do not think this is fair in my opinion. Other actors who would not need to negotiate for an opportunity like this would jump at the chance. I went to the toruble of auditioning and it will never be seen.
Jonny Weston is my grandma’s brother’s grandson. He was in a kid show called Supah Ninjas that my lil’ bro and sis watch. I can’t wait to see this movie, knowing a family member’s starring!
It sounds like a good movie, i’ve never surfed b4, or seen a surfing movie, but I really want 2 c this 1.
we do not need or want more hollywood surf movies!!!!
true, see “litmus”, or “morning of the earth” instead