Ethan Hawke and Alessandro Nivola will star in the biopic Satan is Real about legendary country sibling duo the Louvin Brothers. Variety reports that the actors will portray brothers Charlie and Ira Louvin, Country Music Hall of Famers known for their songs "Knoxville Girl," "The Kneeling Drunkard's Prayer" and "Cash on the Barrelhead."
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The brothers are also known for their "blood harmonies," a phenomenon that allows sibling singers to share the same tone while harmonizing.
In an interview with Variety, Hawke said he and Nivola hope to showcase the unique sound in the film.
"It's such an important expression to us," Hawke told Variety. "It sounds both violent and beautiful and the music should be that. It's aggressive, it's electric, it's strange. It's not Brooklyn folk rock. It's not wannabe cool guy country. It's hillbilly gospel music."
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The Louvin Brothers' personal lives were often marked by conflict, professional conflict and alcoholism. Ira died in a car accident in 1965 at the age of 41. Charlie died of pancreatic cancer in 2011 at 83.
Hawke told Variety that the film will explore both the trials and triumphs of the duo.
"We want to put all our love and disappointments and all the real stuff of life into the film," Hawke said.
The film, directed by Phil Morrison, is currently in production. The movie title comes from the duo's 1959 record Satan is Real known for its unusual album cover.
Hawke previously directed the 2018 film Blaze about cult country singer Blaze Foley.
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