Production wraps on Duke Johnson’s ‘The Actor’ for NEON with André Holland and Gemma Chan

Principal photography has wrapped on Anomalisa helmer and Oscar nominee Duke Johnson’s The Actor starring André Holland (Passing, Moonlight) and Gemma Chan (Don’t Worry Darling, Eternals).

Stranded in 1950s Ohio after a brutal attack, actor Paul Cole (Holland), suffering from severe memory loss, struggles to find his way back to his life in New York and reclaim what he has lost.  The Actor follows a thrilling journey we must all make, to find home, to find love and ultimately to find ourselves. 

The ensemble cast includes Tracey Ullman (Curb Your Enthusiasm, Mrs. Americana), Toby Jones (Empire of Light; Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy), Simon McBurney (Wolfwalkers, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy), and Joe Cole (Peaky Blinders). The Actor is based on the best-selling novel, Memory, by Donald E. Westlake and a script by Johnson and Stephen Cooney.

André Holland most recently starred in Luca Guadagnino’s Bones and All and Rebecca Hall’s Passing. Other notable titles include Moonlight, High Flying Bird, The Knick, The Eddy, A Wrinkle in Time, Selma, 42, among others. Gemma Chan’s recent credits include Don’t Worry Darling, Disney’s Eternals, Let Them All Talk, Captain Marvel and Crazy Rich Asians. She will next star alongside Allison Janney and John David Washington in True Love for 20th Century Fox and Warner Bros.’ upcoming Crazy Rich Asians spinoff. Alongside Working Title Films and producer Nina Yang Bongiovi, Gemma is developing a feature film about legendary Hollywood actress Anna May Wong. Gemma will star in, and executive produce the film. Gemma will also be executive producing, The Moon Represents My Heart, into a limited series with Netflix and 21 Laps. The ensemble cast is led by Fabien Frankel, Edward Hogg with May Calamawy, Asim Chaudhry, Olwen Fouéré, Youssef Kerkour, and Tanya Reynolds.

Holland is represented by WME and Anonymous Content and Chan is represented by WME, Independent Talent Group and M88. 

Ryan Gosling was previously attached to star but with scheduling conflicts stayed on to executive produce the feature. Duke Johnson and Abigail Spencer produced under their Innerlight Films production banner alongside Paul Young under the MAKE GOOD production banner. Waypoint Entertainment’s Ken Kao is also producing with Charlie Kaufman executive producing. Gosling and Kao are also in partnership on recent project announcements of Phil Lord and Chris Miller’s Project Hail Mary at MGM, and Leigh Whannell’s Wolfman at Universal.   

NEON’s most recent in-house production, Brandon Cronenberg’s Infinity Pool, premiered at the Sundance and Berlin Film Festivals earlier this year. NEON unveiled the original horror title It Lives Inside at the 2023 SXSW Film Festival, winning the Audience Award for the Midnighters Screening Section.

Image: NEON/Abigail Spencer