Alaskans recruited for Barrymore film about whales

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A production company is looking for Alaskans to play dozens of roles for an upcoming Drew Barrymore movie being filmed in the state.

Shooting on "Everybody Loves Whales" is expected to begin in September. The movie is based on an attempt to rescue three gray whales trapped by sea ice near Barrow in 1988, and it stars Barrymore as a Greenpeace worker and John Krasinski of NBC's "The Office" as a news reporter.

Executive producer Stuart Besser tells the Anchorage Daily News he needs at least 1,000 extras, and 30 to 40 people for small speaking roles.

The whole film is being shot in Alaska, mostly in Anchorage.