Penélope Cruz is boarding the Orient Express

The latest actress to join the all-star cast of Kenneth Branagh’s adaptation of Murder on the Orient Express is Oscar award winning actress Penélope Cruz. Cruz made her acting debut at the age of 16, but it was in 2001 that she made her breakthrough with lead roles in Vanilla Sky and Blow. In 2009 Cruz won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in Vicky Cristina Barcelona. It has not yet been confirmed which role she will play in Murder on the Orient Express.

Cruz joins Pirates of the Caribbean and Blow co-star Johnny Depp who takes on the role of Samuel Ratchett, Oscar winner Judi Dench who will play Princess Dragomiroff, and Kenneth Branagh who is both directing the film and portraying Hercule Poirot. Daisy Ridley, who made her breakthrough in 2016’s Star Wars, will play Mary Debenham, whilst Michelle Pfeiffer will play Mrs. Hubbard. Acclaimed stage actor and Tony winner Derek Jacobi will play Masterman, Hamilton star Leslie Odom Jr. will play Doctor Arbuthnot, Miss Potter star Lucy Boynton will be Countess Andrenyi and Tom Bateman will play Bouc.

Also joining the killer cast are Dutch actor Marwan Kenzari as Michel and Josh Gad who will play Hector MacQueen.

Murder on the Orient Express is currently in pre-production and is set for release in November 2017.

Discover the story behind the new adaptation of one of the greatest crime novels of all time here.