Eighteen-year-old Richard Harmon has been cast in the lead role of Danny Reyes in 'Judas Kiss.'

SEATTLE — Fresh from his pivotal three-episode guest-starring role in the Syfy network hit, “Caprica,” hot young actor Richard Harmon has been cast in the time-bending campus drama, “Judas Kiss,” the film’s producers announced today.

The 18-year-old actor from Vancouver, B.C., has landed roles in a broad swath of hit television series and feature films, including “Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief,” “Smallville,” “Fringe” and the Cartoon Network’s new live-action series, “Tower Prep.”

In “Judas Kiss,” Harmon will play Danny Reyes, a gay film student at a university at the crossroads of parallel timelines, where he is caught in a tug of war between a tortured past and a troubled future.

Harmon won the role with a videotaped audition over more than 1,000 Los Angeles actors, wowing “Judas Kiss” director J.T. Tepnapa and writer-producer Carlos Pedraza.

“Richard nailed every beat in his audition,” Tepnapa said. “Carlos and I watched the tape and instantly agreed we’d found our Danny.”

For Harmon, “Judas Kiss” represents a leap from a strong résumé of supporting parts in Web series, TV roles and features to a lead in a feature that suits his edgy take on youthful roles, Pedraza said.

“Danny struck me right away as a very relatable character,” Harmon said. “Once I read the whole script, I knew this movie was something that I would be so blessed to be a part of. I know people will be able to really connect to what he feels throughout the movie, and I’m going to have lots of fun with it.”

CARLOS AND J.T.’S SECRET MISSION TO CANADA Tepnapa and Pedraza were so impressed by Harmon’s audition they immediately flew from Los Angeles to Vancouver to sign him for the role.

“Richard really is perfect for Danny,” Tepnapa said. “His talent ups the ante for this film, and his performance is going to catch a lot of people’s attention.”

“Judas Kiss” is Tepnapa’s first feature film. He has won many international awards for his short films, including the multiple award-winning parody of 1950s teen health films, “Masturbation: Putting the Fun Into Self-Loving,” the comedy “Drag Queen Heist” and the homeless youth drama, “Begging for Change.”

Harmon has been a working actor since age 10, appearing in such series and films as “School of Life” with Ryan Reynolds, “Jeremiah” with Luke Perry, “Aliens in America,” the 2007 “Flash Gordon” TV series and the hit Web series “Riese.”

He recently appeared in three pivotal episodes of Syfy’s hit series, “Caprica” — the prequel spin-off of the network’s seminal “Battlestar Galactica” — as a virtual game hacker who befriends Joseph Adama (Esai Morales).

Harmon’s father is director Allan Harmon (“Afghan Knights,” “Passion’s Web”) and his older sister is actress Jessica Harmon (“Battlestar Galactica,” “Black Christmas”). Harmon is represented by Melanie Turner of Pacific Artists Management of Vancouver, B.C.

“Judas Kiss” is being produced by Blue Seraph Productions, a Los Angeles company headed by Tepnapa and Pedraza. Their previous work has been featured in the New York Times, BBC, Variety, Frontiers, Fab magazine, the Today Show, MSNBC, and other international news outlets.

The film, scheduled to shoot this summer in Seattle, has already attracted attention for casting “Dante’s Cove” star Charlie David (host of Logo’s travel show, “Bump,” and writer-star of last year’s feature film, “Mulligans”). Also cast is controversial adult film star Brent Corrigan, who appeared in last year’s Oscar-winning “Milk” and the comedy, “Another Gay Sequel,” and rising European TV and pop star Timo Descamps.

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Links

• Caprica Times interview with Richard Harmon
• Additional photos of Richard Harmon
• Star Richard Harmon’s IMDb profile
• Blue Seraph Productions Web site
• Director J.T. Tepnapa’s IMDb profile
• Writer Carlos Pedraza’s IMDb profile

DIGITAL AUDITIONS via IMDb, Facebook and Skype facilitated cross-Atlantic casting of Belgian TV star Timo Descamps.

LOS ANGELES — Rising European actor, television host and pop singer Timo Descamps has been cast in the time-bending campus drama, “Judas Kiss,” the film’s producers announced today.

The 23-year-old Belgian was recognized last year by the preeminent Dutch and Belgian musical awards. Nominated in both nations, he won the Belgian award for Rising Talent. Descamps recently began a stint as a host on the Belgian VT4 channel.

In “Judas Kiss,” Descamps will play Shane Lyons, an amoral college senior who will do whatever it takes to win the love of film student Danny Reyes.

“Judas Kiss” is the story of a disillusioned filmmaker’s visit to his peculiar alma mater, where he is trapped in a tug of war between his tortured past and a troubling future.

Descamps’ cross-Atlantic casting for the film was made possible by a combination of the Internet Movie Database (IMDb), Facebook and Skype, said “Judas Kiss” writer-producer Carlos Pedraza.

“I always play good characters,” Descamps said. “I’m happy for the challenge playing someone different in an inspirational project like ‘Judas Kiss.’”

Descamps made headlines in his home country last year when he came out as gay.

WHAT IT TAKES “Timo wanted to be on this project the instant he learned about ‘Judas Kiss’ on IMDb,” Pedraza said. “We communicated via Facebook and Skype and had him shoot a screentest in the Netherlands with two scenes from the screenplay.”

The digital audition impressed “Judas Kiss” director J.T. Tepnapa, who saw an opportunity to showcase Descamps’ musical talent in the role of singer Shane Lyons.

“Timo showed us he has what it takes to play an unsavory character who has an entire campus twisted around his little finger,” Tepnapa said. “You can’t take your eyes off him.”

“Judas Kiss” is Tepnapa’s first feature film. He has won many international awards for his short films, including the multiple award-winning parody of 1950s teen health films, “Masturbation: Putting the Fun Into Self-Loving,” the comedy “Drag Queen Heist” and a drama about homeless youth, “Begging for Change.”

CHARLIE DAVID (left) and Brent Corrigan also star in Judas Kiss.

Descamps started acting in television at 17, starring in the Belgian soap opera “Family.” At 19, he landed a leading role in the children’s show, “Spring.” A year later, he won third place in the Belgian celebrity singing contest, “Soapstar Superstar.” On the heels of his musical success, he wrote and released his first single, “Phone Call.”

He has dubbed voices in several European versions of Hollywood blockbusters, including “Happy Feet” (Mumble), “Surf’s Up” (Cody), “The Chronicles of Narnia,” (Peter Pevensie), and has hosted a show on Europe’s Nickelodeon network called “Superstar: The Battle!”

Descamps currently stars as Dolf in the Dutch musical “Crusade in Jeans,” and plays a South African student in the Dutch TV drama, “SpangaS.” He just began hosting a kids’ show on the Belgian network VT4.

“Judas Kiss” is being produced by Blue Seraph Productions, a Los Angeles company headed by Tepnapa and Pedraza. Their previous work has been featured in the New York Times, BBC, Variety, Frontiers, Fab magazine, the Today Show, MSNBC, and other international news outlets.

The film, scheduled to shoot this summer in Seattle, has already attracted attention for casting former “Dante’s Cove” star Charlie David (host of Logo’s travel show, “Bump,” and writer-star of the film, “Mulligans). Also cast is controversial adult film star Brent Corrigan, who appeared in last year’s Oscar-winning “Milk” and the comedy, “Another Gay Sequel.”

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LINKS

• Additional hi-res photos of Timo Descamps
• Co-star Timo Descamps’ IMDb profile
• Judas Kiss movie site
• Star Charlie David’s IMDb profile
• Co-star Brent Corrigan’s IMDb profile
• Director J.T. Tepnapa’s IMDb profile
• Writer Carlos Pedraza’s IMDb profile

ON THE PACKAGE Actors Brent Corrigan and J.T. Tepnapa; photo by Carlos Pedraza; styling by Adam Browne; design by Peccadillo Pictures.

Peccadillo Pictures, a U.K.-based production company, crosses the Atlantic to pick up seven gay short films including our very own film, “In the Closet,” produced by Blue Seraph partner DoorQ Entertainment, and starring Brent Corrigan and J.T. Tepnapa.

Brent is slated to star in Judas Kiss, the Blue Seraph drama now in preproduction. Meanwhile, check out our work in the cover art!

Boys on Film 3: American Boy is now available on the Peccadillo Pictures Web site and at Amazon.co.uk. Peccadillo Pictures has been bringing quality international films to the United Kingdom since October 2000. They have grown over time to become one of the U.K.’s most recognized distributors of art house, gay & lesbian and world cinema titles with an impressive collection of films from Europe, Latin America and Asia.

EXTRA!
Check out Peccadillo’s gallery of high-resolution photos for all the short films that appear in Boys on Film 3: American Boy.

On the DVD

COLLECTION INCLUDES In the Closet – Dir. Jody Wheeler; Dare – Dir. Adam Salky; Area X – Dir. Dennis Shinners; The Young and Evil – Dir. Julian Breece; Dish – Dir. Brian Krinsky; Bugcrush – Dir. Carter Smith; Astoria, Queens – Dir. Kyle Coker.