Stay in the loop on industry and casting news with our write-up on who’s been slated for recent film and television roles.
Please note that shoot dates are subject to state and county restrictions and may change. Refer to Call Sheet for updates, and keep checking Backstage for the latest news on project development during this time.
“The History of Sound”
Director Oliver Hermanus, whose film “Living” recently received Golden Globe and SAG Award nods, is tackling a new literary adaptation. He’s set to helm “The History of Sound,” a gay World War I drama based on a Pushcart Prize–winning short story by Ben Shattuck. In the waning days of the war, a young man named Lionel, who experiences the world through his complex relationship with sound, embarks on a project stateside. He links up with his lover, returning soldier David, to go on a road trip through Maine to make field recordings of local folk songs. Casting director Francine Maisler has already attached Paul Mescal (“Aftersun,” “Normal People”) and “The Crown” Emmy winner Josh O’Connor to play Lionel and David, respectively. Filming on the End Cue–produced feature, which is still casting, is set to begin in Massachusetts this spring.
“Electric Love”
A dating reality show and real-life romance combine in a new rom-com from Awesomeness TV. The feature will follow Hannah Rivers, a producer for a reality dating show called, yes, “Electric Love.” When a major professional opportunity conflicts with the timing of her best friend’s wedding, Hannah attempts to do both at once—with mixed results. The project marks the feature debut of director Nancy Hower, who’s best known for helming episodes of TV comedies including “So Help Me Todd,” “Those Who Can’t,” and “Ultra Violet & Black Scorpion.” Bullock & Snow Casting is putting together the ensemble, though no actors have yet been attached. Production is slated to start in late winter 2023 in Wilmington, North Carolina.
“We Strangers”
The allure of luxury proves hard to resist for one working-class woman in this upcoming film from Wingate and Vice Media. Currently in preproduction, “We Strangers” tells the story of Ray, a commercial cleaner in Gary, Indiana, who takes gigs tidying up the homes of wealthy families on the “good side” of town. Despite her own financial situation, she finds herself drawn into the world of her clients, and she begins to mold herself in their image. Anu Valia (“She-Hulk: Attorney at Law,” “And Just Like That…”) is set to write and direct the drama, which has already brought on Kirby Howell-Baptiste (“The Sandman,” “The Good Place”) and Sarah Goldberg (“Barry,” “Rogue Agent”). CD Erica A. Hart is assembling the rest of the cast. Production is slated to start next month in Indiana.
This story originally appeared in the Jan. 19 issue of Backstage Magazine.