Full Breakdown
Theo Clark Leber Lands Starring Role Opposite Dwayne Johnson in “Lizard Music”
7/21/2026, 12:11:11 AM
Casting Breakthrough for a Chicago-Area Fourth Grader
Chicago-area fourth-grader Theo Clark Leber has been cast in the lead role of *Lizard Music*, an upcoming Amazon MGM Studios and United Artists film directed by Benny Safdie. The 10-year-old’s selection follows a months-long casting process and marks his feature-film debut. Leber, who previously performed in a production of *Leopoldstadt* with Writers Theatre in Glencoe, Illinois, will appear opposite Dwayne Johnson, who portrays the eccentric “Chicken Man.”
Premise and Production Details
*Lizard Music* adapts Daniel Pinkwater’s 1976 novel of the same name. The live-action/CGI hybrid follows a boy who discovers a secret late-night broadcast of lizards playing otherworldly music, leading him to a hidden door and an extraordinary adventure with Johnson’s character and a 111-year-old chicken named Claudia. The project is produced by United Artists’ Scott Stuber and Nick Nesbitt, Safdie’s Out for the Count Productions, Johnson’s Seven Bucks Productions, and Magnetic Fields Entertainment’s David Koplan.
Key Talent and Creative Team
- Benny Safdie – Director and writer, known for *The Smashing Machine* (A24).
- Dwayne Johnson – Lead actor (“The Chicken Man”) and producer via Seven Bucks Productions.
- Theo Clark Leber – Lead actor, represented by Matt Fletcher (Arise Artist Agency) and Laura Alexander (Talent X Alexander).
- Jeff Hynick – Attorney for Leber (Jackoway Austen Tyerman).
Potential Impact on Leber’s Career
The role offers Leber a high-visibility platform alongside an established star and a seasoned director, positioning him for future opportunities in film and theater. Industry observers note that a starring part in a major studio adaptation can serve as a “career-making” milestone for a young performer, especially given the film’s blend of live action and CGI and its distribution through Amazon MGM Studios.
