Patriots Day Casts Its Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes

Rachel Brosnahan Photo Provided

Patriots Day has added another pair of stars to its cast.

Lionsgate and CBS Films announced on Wednesday that Emmy-nominated actress Rachel Brosnahan and actor Christopher O’Shea will be playing Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes in the Mark Wahlberg-produced Boston Marathon bombing movie.

Survivors Kensky and Downes were newlyweds when they suffered serious injuries as they cheered at the finish line during the 2013 attack.

“The survivors are the heart of this story and Rachel and Christopher are bringing their immense talents and their respect for Jessica and Patrick’s extraordinary courage to the film,” director Peter Berg said in a statement.

Brosnahan became a breakout star on Netflix’s House of Cards while O’Shea’s notable credits include Madam Secretary and Point of Honor. The actors are joining a star-studded cast, which includes Wahlberg, who’s playing a composite Boston Police character, and Michelle Monaghan, who’s playing the wife of Wahlberg’s character.

The project, which is currently filming in Boston, also recently announced that actors Alex Wolff and Themo Melikidze will be playing the Tsarnaev brothers while Roxbury native Michael Beach will be portraying former Governor Deval Patrick.

Rounding out the cast are J.K. Simmons as Watertown Police Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese, Kevin Bacon as FBI agent Richard DesLauriers, John Goodman as former Police Commissioner Ed Davis, Vincent Curatola as former Mayor Tom Menino, James Colby as current Police Commissioner Bill Evans, and Jimmy O. Yang as Dun Meng.

Patriots Day will hit theaters in Boston on December 21.