Milk adds Hirsch, Brolin, and Franco to its cast

The Hollywood Reporter has the great news that three more excellent actors have joined the cast of Gus Van Sant's Harvey Milk biopic, Milk. Sean Penn had already been signed to play the martyred gay rights pioneer in the film, and now the supporting cast is fleshing out as well.

Josh Brolin will play assassin Dan White (who shot both Milk and Mayor George Moscone, who has yet to be cast); previously Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg had been rumored as being up for the role. James Franco will be playing Milk's partner, Scott Smith (all together: "Aaaaaawwwwwww!!"), who also managed his campaign to the supervisor's office. Emile Hirsch (whom Penn just directed in Into the Wild) will play gay rights activist Cleve Jones, a friend of Milk who would go on to found the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt.

This all sounds great, and the securing of these young talents hopefully ensures that this film won't go by unnoticed by the mainstream.