John Ortiz joins the cast of Michael Mann's PUBLIC ENEMIES

The cast of Michael Mann’s film PUBLIC ENEMIES, starring Johnny Depp as Public Enemy #1 John Dillinger and Christian Bale as FBI Agent Melvin Purvis, is quickly taking shape: MTV’s movie expert Larry Carroll reports that “chameleonesque character actor” John Ortiz has joined the cast, playing Sicilian gangster Frank Nitti, an associate of Al Capone. Ortiz has previously worked with Michael Mann on MIAMI VICE, and also appeared in AMERICAN GANGSTER. “[PUBLIC ENEMIES] is about the life of John Dillinger, and the gangsters of the 1930’s,” Ortiz told MTV. “It’s totally old school. All of the gangster films that we see, and the stories, including AMERICAN GANGSTER, it started with those guys back in the 30’s.”

The Zone thanks Theresa for breaking the news; you can read more about the new cast additions to PUBLIC ENEMIES on the Zone’s News & Views forum. Principal photography is scheduled to begin in early March on location in Illinois and Wisconsin. –Part-Time Poet