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Casting News: New Roles for Phylicia Rashad, Gugu Mbatha-Raw

The Belle actress will star opposite Matthew McConaughey.

After a pair of acclaimed performances in Beyond the Lights and BelleGugu Mbatha-Raw is set to become Hollywood's newest It Girl. The beautiful British actress will star opposite Matthew McConaughey in the Civil War drama Free State of Jones, reports TheWrap.
Based on a true story, Free State of Jones will star McConaughey as Newton Knight and Mbatha-Raw as Rachel, a slave whose relationship with Knight played a central part in his life and in his armed rebellion against the Confederacy during the Civil War.
Mbatha-Raw will soon be seen in the sci-fi movie Jupiter Ascending and the Keanu Reeves courtroom drama The Whole Truth. She is currently filming the untitled NFL "Concussion" drama with Will Smith.
Meanwhile, Phylicia Rashad is set to return to the big screen in CreedRyan Coogler's Rocky spin-off starring Michael B. Jordan

The Cosby Show alum will play Mary Anne Creed, the widow of Apollo Creed and grandmother of Jordan's Adonis Creed character. The spin-off follows Adonis, a wealthy scion who lives off of the glory of his grandfather, who embarks on a journey to fulfill his legacy with Rocky (Sylvester Stallone) as his mentor. 
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(Photos from left: Brad Barket/Getty Images, David Buchan/Getty Images for Westfield)

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