Martin to play 'Moneyball' with Pitt, Soderbergh (VAR, THR)

By Nancy Tartaglione

Demetri Martin will suit up for "Moneyball," the Steven Soderbergh-directed baseball drama that Brad Pitt is starring in at Columbia. Steven Zaillian adapted the screenplay from Michael Lewis' book about Oakland A's general manager Billy Beane who assembled a contending baseball club on a shoestring budget by employing a sophisticated computer-based analysis to draft players. Martin will play Paul DePodesta, a Harvard graduate who helps Beane with his system.

A summer start is expected for the production which Michael De Luca and Rachel Horovitz are producing. Variety reports that real ball players have also signed on including David Justice, Scott Hatteberg, Daryl Strawberry and Lenny Dykstra.

Martin is best known for Comedy Central's "Important Things With Demetri Martin," for which he wears actor, writer, composer and executive producer hats.

He will also be seen in the upcoming "Taking Woodstock," Ang Lee's reportedly Cannes-bound ensemble drama.

Back in October, David Frankel had been attached to direct "Moneyball" but Soderbergh ultimately came to the project in February.