Working with a director like Clint Eastwood is a sign that one’s career is thriving. Gabriel Basso has been getting lots of attention thanks to his acclaimed performance in the Netflix series The Night Agent, and now he’s managed to up the ante by landing a crucial role in Eastwood’s next (and reportedly final) project, Juror #2.
According to Deadline, Juror #2 will chronicle the struggles of Justin Kemp, a family man who winds up serving as a juror on a high-profile murder case. The further he wades into the case, however, the more he’s forced to confront a moral dilemma that could sway the verdict and convict the wrong person. Nicholas Hoult has been tapped to play Kemp, and Basso will play the man on trial for his life.
Basso is no stranger to high-profile films, having appeared in the science fiction blockbuster Super 8 (2011) and the controversial drama Hillbilly Elegy (2022), but Juror #2 marks the first time he will appear in a film since achieving widespread fame. The Night Agent was a surprise hit for Netflix, debuting as the platform’s third most-watched series ever. It currently ranks as the fifth most popular English-language series in Netflix history, and has clocked an astonishing 600 million hours watched since it debuted in March.
A big part of the show’s appeal was Basso’s performance in the titular role. As an FBI agent thrown into an unraveling conspiracy of blackmail and murder, the actor managed to command the screen while at the same time communicating a very real sense of desperation. The Night Agent has already been renewed for a second season, and Basso’s increased profile is likely going to draw in even more viewers.
Basso may be fielding great offers today, but this wasn’t always the case. When the actor appeared on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, he revealed that he actually quit acting for several years before deciding to return with a renewed outlook.
“Everything sort of felt like a pseudo-experience to me,” Basso said during his interview. “As a kid where [you’re told], oh, you can be the fighter, and not actually hit anybody or know what it’s like to get hit, it just felt very fake. So I quit because I didn’t want to be depressed… And now I’m back.”
Basso will have his work cut out for him, dramatically speaking. In addition to being directed by Eastwood, one of the most revered genre filmmakers of all time, he will be going up against Oscar nominees like Toni Collette and fellow rising stars like Zoey Deutch and the aforementioned Hoult.
Juror #2 will also mark the final directorial effort by Eastwood before he retires, which means there will be plenty of eyes on the film come awards season. It’s not out of the question to suggest that Basso could earn some Oscar or Golden Globe buzz if he makes the most out of his time on screen. Either way, it’s a step in the right direction for his fledgling career.
