Halle Bailey and Lilli Cooper are set to star in A24’s upcoming untitled musical comedy, written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg.
The film, which began production earlier this month, follows a reserved woman (played by Julianne Moore) who is unexpectedly cast in a local community theater musical. As she immerses herself in the role, her off-stage life begins to unravel — blurring the line between performance and reality. Paul Giamatti co-stars alongside Moore.
Bailey and Cooper will star in the film alongside a growing ensemble that includes Havana Rose Liu (Lurker, Hal & Harper) and Emmy and Golden Globe winner Bernadette Peters (Mozart in the Jungle, tick, tick… BOOM!). The cast also features Bonnie Milligan, Colton Ryan, and Maulik Pancholy.
This project marks Eisenberg’s continued collaboration with A24 and Fruit Tree, the production company founded by Emma Stone, Dave McCary, and Ali Herting. It follows their work on When You Finish Saving the World — also starring Moore — and other recent A24 titles including I Saw the TV Glow and The Curse. Eisenberg also recently worked with Fruit Tree and Topic Studios on A Real Pain, which earned Kieran Culkin an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor and Eisenberg a nomination for Best Original Screenplay.
In addition to directing and writing, Eisenberg is penning original songs for the film. Music supervision comes from Steven Gizicki (A Complete Unknown), with executive music production by Bill Sherman (In The Heights). Choreography is being handled by Tony winner Andy Blankenbuehler (Hamilton), and cinematography is led by Drew Daniels (Anora).
Additional cast representation includes CESD, Untitled, and Schreck Rose Dapello for Milligan; Gersh and TFC Management for Ryan; Artists & Representatives and Ivy Rocky Management for Cooper; and Brillstein Entertainment Partners for Pancholy.
No official release date has been announced yet, but check back for updates.