Ross Lynch joins My Friend Dahmer as young Jeffrey Dahmer

Teen Beach Movie star Ross Lynch will depict the high school years of infamous serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer in the upcoming film My Friend Dahmer, EW has confirmed.

The coming of age drama will be directed by Marc Meyers (How He Fell in Love, Harvest), who also wrote the script. The indie film is based on the graphic novel by John “Derf” Backderf, which follows Dahmer during the 1970s from the age of 12 until his first murder two weeks after his high school graduation. The story was told through the point of view of the murderer’s childhood friend, Backderf, who is now a political cartoonist.

Backderf, a political cartoonist, was a friend and classmate of Dahmer, and the story is told from his point of view.

Lynch is known for his work on the Disney Channel series Austin & Ally, as well as both Teen Beach Movies. The Disney actor is also part of the pop rock band R5 and will depict his singing and acting chops in a production of A Chorus Line in late July at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California.

The Hollywood Reporter first reported the story.