Eva Reign, Renee Elise Goldsberry, Abubakr Ali, Courtnee Carter, Kelly Lamor Wilson, and Grant Reynolds join Billy Porter’s directorial debut film ‘What If? for Orion Pictures.
Reign is replacing 17-year-old Britsh trans actress Yasmin Finney, who was originally cast to star in the lead role. Due to complications owing to backlogs during Covid that have impacted UK citizens coming to the U.S. for work, and after exhausting all avenues over several months’ time, the production was unable to secure a work visa in time for Finney.
Alvaro Garcia Lecuona penned the script for this coming-of-age story.
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Synopsis: When high school senior Khal (Ali) posts on r/relationships about his crush on Kelsa (Reign), a trans girl at his school, the internet encourages him to go for it. What follows is a modern coming-of-age story as the two navigate a high school senior year relationship that neither could have expected.”
It is the first feature produced under the recently relaunched MGM label Orion Pictures.
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Christine Vachon is producing the pic on behalf of Killer Films with David Hinojosa, and Andrew Lauren, and D.J. Gugenheim for Andrew Lauren Productions.
Orion Pictures is exclusively dedicated to underrepresented voices and authentic storytelling in film with a focus on developing, producing and acquiring feature films that amplify underserved voices, both in front of and behind the camera.
‘What If’ begins production in Pittsburgh this week.