LI's Chris Messina to play villain in superhero movie 'Birds of Prey'
Northport native Chris Messina will play a villain in an upcoming Warner Bros.-DC Comics movie.
Cathy Yan's “Birds of Prey” will feature Messina as Victor Zsasz, a killer who carves a mark into his body for each victim, according to Deadline. Zsasz made his debut in the comics series "Batman: The Last Arkham" in 1992; this will be his first appearance on the big screen. Messina will star opposite Ewan McGregor, who plays the film's main heavy, Black Mask. Margot Robbie will reprise her role as Harley Quinn, while Mary Elizabeth Winstead will play Huntress and Jurnee Smollett-Bell will play Black Canary.
The role marks a major leap into the big-budget superhero fray for Messina, who has tended to appear in character-driven, reality-based dramas. His film credits include Woody Allen's “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” the cooking-themed drama “Julie & Julia” and the horror-thriller “Devil.” He has also appeared in two Ben Affleck films, “Argo,” which won a Screen Actors Guild award for best ensemble cast, and the period crime-drama “Live by Night.” On TV, he's best known for playing Danny Castellano, the former fiance (and father of their child) of Mindy Kaling's character on "The Mindy Project."
“Birds of Prey” is scheduled for release Feb. 7, 2020.