The tallest man in Canada will play Goliath in the upcoming high-profile movie David and Goliath.
Jerry Sokoloski, 31, is also one of the tallest men in the world. Christian NewsWire reports he is 7 feet 8 inches, but other sources put him between 7 feet 4 inches and 7 feet 7 inches.
“Jerry was a tremendous blessing,” says director Tim Chey. “We didn’t want to create a CGI imitation like The Incredible Hulk, and so our casting directors set out to find the biggest guy, and he’s very big.”
The casting team scoured the planet until they discovered the Canadian actor in Toronto.
“They flew Jerry to North Africa just to meet with the director and producers,” says Michelle Albright, the U.S. casting associate. “While there, they decided to cast Jerry, and the rest is history.”
“Goliath stood at 9 feet,” adds Chey. “So Jerry was about a foot and 4 inches shorter than the real thing. He adds an incredible, realistic dimension.”
Sokoloski declared himself eligible for the NBA in 2004 but did not get drafted. He then became a professional wrestler and started acting full time after he finished his wrestling career. To get ready for the grueling role, Sokoloski worked with fight coordinators and acting coaches.
The film wrapped principal photography in North Africa and at studios in London. The film is currently in post-production in Los Angeles.
David and Goliath looks at one of the most powerful and beloved Bible stories of all time. The film will focus on the early life of David, who fought against the Philistine giant, Goliath, against all odds.
The epic film comes at a perfect time. Hollywood is embracing faith-based films as of late, and the audiences are growing at a record pace according to reports.
David and Goliath is set for an early 2015 nationwide release in theaters.
Chey also produced Freedom, starring Cuba Gooding, Jr., Sharon Leal and William Sadler, which opens in theaters across Australia next month and in cinemas in the U.S. in January. He also directed Epic Journey, which took him to 29 countries. A record of his journey was submitted to the Guinness Book of Records for most countries traveled to for a feature film.
