Finn Wittrock
and Alexandra Daddario to Star as
Milton and Catherine Hershey in a
Dandelion Media Production, in Collaboration with Hershey
Entities
HERSHEY,
Pa., May 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/
-- Dandelion Media and Hershey Entities announced today the
full cast of the feature film HERSHEY. The announcement
coincides with principal photography throughout Pennsylvania, which began May 12 in Pittsburgh and will continue through the end
of June at additional locations in Hershey, Harmony, Smithfield, Ligonier, and more.
A film by Mark Waters (Mean
Girls, The Spiderwick Chronicles, Mr. Popper's Penguins),
HERSHEY is based on the life of company founder Milton S. Hershey, starring Finn Wittrock (The Big Short, Don't Move,
American Horror Story) as Milton
Hershey and Alexandra
Daddario (The White Lotus, True Detective, San Andreas) as his wife, Catherine
"Kitty" Hershey.
Newly announced cast members include:
- Alan Ruck (Succession, Ferris Bueller's Day Off) as Milton's father
Henry Hershey, whose lofty
ambitions, but tragic abandonment of his family set the stage for
Milton's journey.
- Richard
Kind (Only Murders in the Building, Curb
Your Enthusiasm) as inspirational confectioner Joseph Royer who gave young Milton his first
candy-making job.
- David Costabile (Billions, Breaking
Bad) as villain and fictitious rival candymaker Tobias Thornhill.
- Heléne Yorke (The Other Two, The Good
Fight) as Kitty Hershey's best
friend Margaret.
The ensemble also includes Michael
Moreland Milligan (Chicago Fire) as longtime friend and
business partner Harry "Lebbie" Lebkicher, Francesca Faridany (Manifest) as
Fanny Hershey, Milton's devoted
mother, Daniel David Stewart
(Catch-22) as William Murrie,
The Hershey Company's pioneering general manager and
Dina Spybey-Waters
(Just Like Heaven) as Aunt
Mattie Snavely, a guiding figure in Hershey's early life.
Additional filmmakers include Director of Photography
Ed Wu, Production Designer Neil
Patel, Costume Designer Katie Irish, and Casting Director
Julie Schubert.
Said Director Mark Waters,
"Pennsylvania gives us unique
and rich locations that seem frozen in time, transporting us back
to the turn of the century. Boasting well-preserved historic
settings and stunning landscapes, the state is the perfect setting
for recreating pivotal moments from the life and legacy of
Milton Hershey."
HERSHEY is a Dandelion Media production, in
collaboration with Hershey Entities, and in association with Aloe
Entertainment, Peachtree Group and RCM3. The project is produced by
Sharon Paul, Mark Tilghman, Mary
Aloe, Joshua Harris, and
Will Hardy, with executive producers
Daniel Hank, Joseph Lanius, Flip and
Susan Flippen, and Joanne
Marlowe. The screenplay is by Sharon
Paul and Timothy Michael
Hayes. UTA Independent Film Group is representing worldwide
rights.
The major motion picture is scheduled for release in 2026,
aligning with the 250th anniversary of the United States. HERSHEY will bring
to life the powerful story of a man who overcame early failure to
build one of the world's most iconic brands, and whose greatest
legacy lies not in chocolate but in his enduring contributions to
education, community, and opportunity through Milton Hershey School.
Ruck is represented by IAG, Mark
Teitelbaum at Teitelbaum Artists Group, and Goodman, Genow,
Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher.
Kind is represented by Innovative Artists.
Costabile is represented by Verve, Garter Group and GGSSC.
Yorke is represented by UTA, Regarding Entertainment, and
Jackoway Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein
Trattner Auerbach Hynick Jaime LeVine Sample & Klein.
Waters is represented by UTA; Wittrock is represented by CAA,
Mosaic and Weissenbach Management, and Schreck Rose Dapello; Daddario is represented by
CAA and Untitled Entertainment; Paul and Tilghman are represented
by Convergence Media Law.
About HERSHEY
HERSHEY is the inspiring true story of Milton S.
Hershey, the founder of the iconic Hershey Company and Milton
Hershey School, starring Finn
Wittrock as Milton Hershey
and Alexandra Daddario as Catherine
"Kitty" Hershey. Directed by Mark Waters (Mean Girls, Spiderwick
Chronicles, Mr. Popper's Penguins), with a screenplay by Sharon
Paul and Timothy Michael Hayes, the
film chronicles Hershey's rags-to-riches journey and his profound
impact on the world. Produced by Sharon Paul and Mark Tilghman (Dandelion Media), Mary Aloe (Aloe
Entertainment), Joshua Harris (Peachtree Group), and Will Hardy, with executive producers
Daniel Hank, Joseph Lanius, Flip and
Susan Flippen and Joanne
Marlowe (RCM3), HERSHEY celebrates imagination, generosity,
and, of course, the delight of chocolate. Scheduled for release
in 2026, this major motion picture is set to captivate audiences
with the origin story of one of the world's most beloved brands and
the love story that inspired it all. The feature film will showcase
the enduring spirit of its namesake and his timeless
message: spreading joy through innovation, perseverance and
kindness.
About Dandelion Media
"Hope Through Story" is the mission of Dandelion Media. Founded
by Sharon Paul and Mark Tilghman, the company produces impactful
movies and television series. Dandelion Media is committed to
risk-mitigated independent film financing, proprietary audience
research and impeccable storytelling. With projects such as
HERSHEY, Vivaldi, Strong Women, Strong World, and Silent Night,
Dandelion Media champions stories that entertain, inspire, and
leave a legacy of hope.
About Hershey Entities
For generations, the name Hershey has been synonymous with
beloved chocolate and snacking products around the world, and the
legacy of founder Milton Hershey
extends far beyond these iconic treats. Milton established five key
entities that continue to create moments of goodness and serve the
community today. Entities include The Hershey Company, Milton Hershey School, Hershey Entertainment
& Resorts, The M.S. Hershey Foundation and Hershey Trust
Company. While each entity operates separately, they all embody
Milton Hershey's profound
philosophy: "One is only happy in proportion as he makes others
feel happy and only useful as he contributes his influences for the
finer callings in life." This guiding principle continues to
inspire Hershey's ongoing legacy.
About Aloe Entertainment
Mary Aloe is considered one of
the top independent packaging producers and film finance experts in
Los Angeles. Aloe has produced
and/or financed over 51 films, most recently Freud's Last Session
starring Anthony Hopkins for Sony
and the critically acclaimed Rumours starring Cate Blanchett,
Alicia Vikander and Charles Dance. Aloe Entertainment's upcoming
slate includes Alpha Gang starring
Cate Blanchett, Dave Baustista,
Zoe Kravitz, Riley Keough, Birds of Prey starring
Maria Bakalova and Tin Solider
starring Jamie Foxx and Robert DeNiro. www.aloeentertainment.com
About Peachtree Group
Peachtree Group is a vertically integrated investment management
firm specializing in identifying and capitalizing on opportunities
in dislocated markets, anchored by commercial real estate, and
inclusive of film and media finance. Today, the company manages
billions in capital across acquisitions, development and lending,
augmented by services designed to protect, support and grow its
investments. For more information,
visit www.peachtreegroup.com
About UTA
UTA unites ideas, opportunities and talent. The company
represents some of the world's most iconic, barrier-breaking
artists, creators and changemakers—from actors, athletes and
musicians to writers, gamers and digital influencers. One of the
most influential companies in global entertainment, UTA's business
spans talent representation, content production, as well as
strategic advisory and marketing work with some of the world's
biggest brands. Affiliated companies include Digital Brand
Architects, KLUTCH Sports Group, Curtis Brown Group, and MediaLink.
UTA is headquartered in Los
Angeles with offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Nashville, New
York and London.
About RCM3
RCM3 is a groundbreaking entertainment company redefining how
studios and entertainment investors approach project funding. With
an exclusive global license to the Credit Participation
Certificate™ (CPC™) for entertainment, RCM3 offers Cashless
Investment solutions that empower sponsors to invest in
high-potential film, television, and documentary projects without
deploying their own cash. RCM3 enables studios and investors to
unlock substantial amounts of capital while preserving liquidity,
enhancing balance sheets, and minimizing risk. RCM3 is paving the
way for sustainable growth in entertainment.
View original content to download
multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/alan-ruck-richard-kind-david-costabile-and-helene-yorke-join-cast-of-hershey-as-principal-photography-continues-across-pennsylvania-302467108.html
SOURCE The Hershey Company