Jacob Lofland, 15, of Yell County, Arkansas is one lucky kid! Lofland was chosen out of 2,000 kids to play the role of Neckbone in the upcoming feature film, Mud, written and directed by Little Rock native Jeff Nichols (Take Shelter, Shotgun Stories). This is Lofland’s first acting role!

Mud is a coming-of-age drama about the adventures of two 14 year-old boys who encounter a mysterious fugitive named Mud (Matthew McConaughey) hiding out on an island in the Mississippi. Intrigued by this character, they enter into a pact to help him evade capture and reconnect with the love of his life (Witherspoon). Though it is hard for the boys to discern truth from fiction when it comes to Mud, it isn’t long until their small Arkansas town is besieged by a beautiful girl with a line of bounty hunters in tow.

Lofland plays Neckbone, one of the two boys. “We cast Jacob as Neckbone because he is Neckbone –he can run a boat, ride a dirt bike, and has the attitude of a typical 14 year-old,” said director, Jeff Nichols. “He has immense natural instincts, and he’s incredibly intelligent and quick to learn.”

The cast also includes Academy Award nominee Sam Shepard (Blackthorn, The Right Stuff), Academy Award nominee Michael Shannon (Take Shelter, Revolutionary Road) and Golden Globe nominee Sarah Paulson (Martha Marcy May Marlene), Academy Award winner Ray McKinnon (The Blind Side), Tye Sheridan (Tree Of Life), Joe Don Baker (George Wallace) and Paul Sparks (Boardwalk Empire).

Sarah Green (Take Shelter, The Tree Of Life, Frida) is producing Mud, along with Everest Entertainment’s Lisa Maria Falcone and FilmNation’s Aaron Ryder. Everest Entertainment’s credits include the Academy Award nominated feature 127 Hours and the acclaimed Tom McCarthy film Win Win. FilmNation Entertainment recently completed production on House at the End of the Street, starring Jennifer Lawrence and The Raven, starring John Cusack as Edgar Allan Poe, both to be released in 2012. Executive Producers are Tom Heller and Gareth Smith of Everest Entertainment, and Glen Basner of FilmNation.

Shot on location in Southeast Arkansas over eight weeks, Mud is scheduled for theatrical release in 2012. Stay tuned for more information.