Pete Davidson set to play George Bailey in ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ virtual table read

Every time a bell rings, an SNL alum gets his wings... that’s the saying, right? Welp it is now. Saturday Night Live cast member and tatt’ed up, misanthropic comedian Pete Davidson has signed on to play the iconic role of George Bailey in an upcoming virtual table read of Christmas classic It’s A Wonderful Life.Starring alongside Maude Apatow (Judd Apatow’s daughter and Davidson’s co-star in The King of Staten Island), the virtual table read will also feature huge Hollywood names like Leslie Mann, Mia Farrow, Ellie Kemper, Bill Pullman, Richard Kind, Carol Kane, Ed Begley Jr., Diedrich Bader, B.D. Wong, Michael Shannon “and special surprise guests.”

Pete Davidson has joined our cast as George Bailey! “It’s a Wonderful Life” on 12.13.20 at 8ET/5PT Get your front row seat here: https://t.co/Th4JP5NZtX It’s the #HolidaysReimagined #ItsaWonderfulCenter #PeteDavidson #TomBergeron#teafc #edasnerfamilycenter #itsawonderfullife pic.twitter.com/2vrepgnnYk

— Ed Asner Family Center (@EdAsnerCenter) November 21, 2020

The virtual table read is being held by the Ed Asner Family Centre, with proceeds dedicated to promoting mental health and enrichment programs for special needs children and their families.[video_embed id='1909384']RELATED: Pete Davidson says he’s outgrown SNL[/video_embed]Now you may be scratching your head, wondering why Pete Davidson was cast in an iconic role originally played by strait-laced Jimmy Stewart. Considering that the plot of the film deals quite seriously with suicide ideation (on top of depression, anxiety, financial hardship and family strife), and the virtual table read will benefit mental health initiatives, we can totally get behind the choice of Pete. He has been very open in recent years with his mental health struggle, and considering that his personal romantic relationships have been the stuff of Hollywood gossip for a while as well, we think he knows a thing or two about surviving.“We are so thrilled to have Pete reenact the role of George in It’s a Wonderful Life with his talented wit and clever vocalizations,” said Matthew Asner, Co-Founder/President/CEO of The Ed Asner Family Center. “And we look forward to having Maude join the cast as Violet with her creative flair. Please join us for this once in a lifetime opportunity to snuggle up on your couch and experience this all-star cast virtual table read from the comfort of your own home, while helping to raise money for The Ed Asner Family Center. It will be a very meaningful night!”The Frank Capra classic (which sees protagonist George Bailey get a glimpse into what his town Bedford Falls would be like had he never been born, with the help of a guardian angel named Clarence), has become legendary since its release in 1946. Originally seen as a box-office flop, it still garnered five Oscar noms at the time. When the copyright for the film expired and failed to be renewed, it was broadcast without penalty on TV, launching it into the festive season stratosphere, quickly becoming a holiday must-see every year.

 

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The table read will stream December 13^th at 5 p.m. PST, 8 p.m. EST, and advance tickets can be bought for $50-$250 USD at edasnerfamilycenter.org.[video_embed id='2083083']BEFORE YOU GO: Do people need to see shocking images to take the pandemic seriously?[/video_embed]