J.K. Simmons Will Play Watertown Sergeant In Boston Marathon Bombing Movie

LOS ANGELES (CBS) – Actor J.K. Simmons will be joining Mark Wahlberg in an upcoming movie about the Boston Marathon bombings and the wild manhunt that followed.

CBS Films announced that the Oscar winner is set to play Watertown Police Sgt. Jeffrey Pugliese in "Patriots Day". The sergeant testified at trial that he came face-to-face with bomber Tamerlan Tsarnaev during the shootout in Watertown.

"Beyond his considerable talents, J.K. Simmons is a person who respects the solemn trust that these real life heroes are putting in our hands," director Peter Berg said in a statement. "This is an actor who will represent the role in the best way possible."

"Patriots Day," starring Wahlberg as a composite Boston police officer, begins filming in Boston next month. Residents of the quiet Watertown neighborhood where the shooting took place have received a survey asking if they approve of plans to film there.

Filmmakers are also looking to shoot footage for the movie at UMass Dartmouth, where convicted bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was a student. The school confirmed to WBZ-TV Friday that it is considering the request.