Academy Award-nominated actor, and producer Jake Gyllenhaal and Boston Marathon bombing survivor Jeff Bauman will serve as honorary starters for the 101st Indianapolis 500. They will become the first duo to wave the green flag in the century-plus history of the race.
Gyllenhaal will play Bauman in the upcoming film “Stronger”
The movie is based on Bauman’s New York Times best-selling book of the same name. In it he provides a deeply personal account of his challenging, heroic journey after losing both legs in the Boston Marathon bombing on April 15, 2013. David Gordon Green is the director of the “Stronger” film, which comes in cinemas on September 22, 2017.
#500Countdown: 12 days until the 101st Running of the #Indy500! Lora Lawrence Corum & Joe Boyer were co-winners of the 12th Running in 1924. pic.twitter.com/lQIhfRXW38
— Ind. Motor Speedway (@IMS) 16 May 2017
Chart-topping singer/songwriter Bebe Rexha will be this year’s singer of the national anthem for Indy 500. She is popular for her No. 1 Billboard hit “Me, Myself & I” with G-Eazy, as well as for writing “Monster”, the worldwide hit for Eminem and Rihanna.
Rexha has more than 10 million overall single sales. Her music videos boast a combined viewing audience of well over 1 billion. This will be her first time attending the race.
“I am looking forward to seeing everyone there and experiencing my first big race day”, she said.
