Lolo Jones and 'The Blind Side' Star Quinton Aaron Join Nicolas Cage in 'Left Behind'

Track star and U.S. bobsledder Lolo Jones is the latest addition to the growing cast of the new "Left Behind" movie adapted from the fictional end times series by authors Tim LaHaye and Jerry B. Jenkins.

The disaster movie, much like the original film starring Kirk Cameron as Buck Williams, focuses on a band of survivors who find themselves left behind after the occurrence of the Rapture, or the spiriting away of Christians to heaven. The plot is based on the first book of the same title in LaHaye's and Jenkins' 16-part series.

Jones tweeted a photo of herself on the set and shared with fans how she nearly lost it when she sat next to Nicolas Cage, who plays Rayford Steele in the upcoming apocalyptic flick.

"Nicolas Cage sat next to me during makeup and my head bout spun round like Ghost Rider BUT I 'ACTED' cool. Learning this craft fast #LeftBehind," Jones tweeted.

The former Olympian shared that her role was that of a gate attendant named Lola who speaks 10 words — "Really 8. I counted 'Mr. Williams' as (two) words to increase Oscar chances," wrote Jones.

Paul Lalonde, the producer and writer of "Left Behind" (along with John Patus), said that he added Jones to the production upon learning that the bobsledder was training in Baton Rouge, La., where his team had been filming since the beginning of August with director Vic Armstrong.

"Obviously everybody knows who she is," Lalonde told NBC News. "I'm a huge fan of her. I love her never-say-die attitude about everything. … She's a beautiful woman, too, which never hurts when you're casting for a movie."

Actress Cassi Thomson ("Switched at Birth," "Big Love"), who has replaced Ashley Tindsale as Chloe Steele, shared a photo on Intagram of Jones during filming on the "Left Behind" set. The film also stars Chad Michael Murray as Buck Williams and Nicky Whelan as Hattie Durham.

Left Behind Film Has Major Casting News

Filming for the reboot of the first “Left Behind” feature film has begun in Baton Rouge, La., amid some casting changes. Nicolas Cage (Rayford Steele), Chad Michael Murray (Buck Williams) and Ashley Tisdale (Chloe Steele) were signed to star in the movie, however there have been two major alterations to the cast.

Tisdale had a scheduling conflict and dropped out of the film. On Friday, producers took to the movie’s Facebook page to announce her departure, while wishing her the best as she prepares for a television opportunity. The other announcement, though, will likely excite some reality television fans and music enthusiasts.

Grammy-nominated singer Jordin Sparks has joined on as a character named “Shasta.” For now, the details surrounding her role are under wraps, but producer and scriptwriter Paul Lalonde shared a small tidbit of information about the character.

“She will be a passenger on a plane that the film’s main character Captain Rayford Steele (Nicolas Cage) is piloting,” he said on the film’s Facebook page.

As her fans know, Sparks has had a successful career in both music and films following her 2007 “American Idol” victory. She is the latest addition to a film that has Christian and secular media, alike, buzzing.

Ashley Tisdale Joins ‘Left Behind’

Deadline is reporting that Ashley Tisdale has signed up for the Left Behind film re-boot starring Nicolas Cage. The former High School Musical star will play Chloe Steele, the daughter of Cage’s Ray Steele character. After millions of people suddenly disappear from Earth, Chloe wanders America looking to find any remaining members of her family. Vic Armstrong is directing the adaptation of the bestselling faith-based novels.

Chad Michael Murray May Be ‘Left Behind’

Chad Michael Murray is in negotiations to join the cast of Left Behind. The former One Tree Hill actor would be playing the role of journalist Cameron “Buck” Williams in the end-of-the-world thriller. Nicolas Cage is also starring in the Left Behind reboot. The film is based on the first of the 16 bestselling faith-based novels written by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins. Left Behind was first adapted for a series of movies starring Kirk Cameron starting in 2001.

Nicolas Cage Likely to Star in 'Left Behind' Series Remake

Academy Award–winning actor Nicolas Cage is reportedly in talks to star in "Left Behind," a mainstream remake of the Christian-themed movie trilogy about the End Times.

The reboot will mark the first film from Stoney Lake Entertainment, a new production company led by Paul Lalonde, a Canadian/American film producer and writer and co-founder of Cloud Ten Pictures, variety.com reported Friday.

"Left Behind" is the first installment of a 16-book series by Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins about the adventures of the sinners left on earth after the Rapture. The series, first published 1995-2007, has sold more than 65 million copies around the world.

The series has already been adapted into three films starring Kirk Cameron, who plays the leader of the Tribulation Force against the Global Community and its leader Nicolae Carpathia, the Antichrist. The original movie series was launched in 2001.

The plot focuses on a group of survivors during the first few hours after the Rapture. The budget of the film is in the $15 million range, and its production is likely to begin in early spring for a late next year release.

Variety quoted Lalonde as saying that distributor Samuel Goldwyn Films had given a theatrical guarantee.

Lalonde and his brother, Peter, started up the production company Cloud Ten Pictures as a means of spreading the Gospel message and producing inspirational Christian films that would help to disband the general consensus that Christian movies are low quality," the company's website says.

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