Gemma Chan and Kiki Layne have joined the high-powered cast of Don’t Worry Darling, the psychological thriller that Olivia Wilde is directing for New Line.
The two join Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Chris Pine and Wilde, the latter who, on top of helming and starring, is also producing. Darling is due to begin production later in October and will shoot in Palm Springs and Los Angeles.
Details are being kept secret, but the setting for Darling is an isolated, utopian community in the 1950s California desert and centers on a housewife who uncovers a disturbing truth about her seemingly perfect life.
Few details are available, but it is known that Pugh is leading the ensemble, playing the housewife. Characters details for Chan and Layne are being kept secret but Layne is replacing the previous cast Dakota Johnson, who bowed out due to scheduling issues. It’s not the first scheduling challenge faced by the project, which was originally due to have shot in the spring; Styles took over from Shia LaBeouf for similar reasons.
BAFTA-nominated screenwriter Katie Silberman penned the screenplay based on a spec script by Shane and Carey Van Dyke.
Vertigo Entertainment’s Roy Lee and Miri Yoon will produce with Wilde and Silberman. Catherine Hardwicke acts as an executive producer alongside the Van Dykes.
The project is being overseen by New Line execs Richard Brener, Daria Cercek and Celia Khong.
Chan gained a fanbase for her work in AMC’s sci-fi show Humans and also appeared in blockbusters Captain Marvel and Crazy Rich Asians. She will next be seen Marvel’s The Eternals, currently scheduled to open Nov. 5, 2021, as well as Steven Soderbergh’s Let Them All Talk, which will debut on HBO Max. She is repped by WME, M88, and Independent Talent Group.
Layne starred with Charlize Theron in Netflix and Skydance’s big summer hit, The Old Guard, and is due to appear with Eddie Murphy in Coming 2 America. She gained notices for her breakout work in Barry Jenkin’s award-winning 2018 drama, If Beale Street Could Talk. Lane is repped by WME, Anonymous Content, and Sloane Offer.
Article by:Borys Kit for The Hollywood Reporter
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