Saban Films acquires Tribeca selection ‘The Stand-In’ with Drew Barrymore in a dual role
Seeing double in THE STAND-IN (Saban Films)
Saban Films announced today that they have acquired North American rights to Emmy® Award nominee Jamie Babbit’s (The Quiet, But I’m a Cheerleader) The Stand-In. In a dual lead role, Golden Globe Award winner Drew Barrymore (E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Grey Gardens, “Santa Clarita Diet”) tops this star-studded cast featuring Michael Zegen (“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel”), Emmy Award nominee Ellie Kemper (Bridesmaids, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”), T.J. Miller (Deadpool, “Silicon Valley”), and Emmy Award winner Holland Taylor (“Two and a Half Men,” Legally Blonde). An official selection of The Tribeca Film Festival, the comedy was written by Sam Bain (Four Lions, Magicians) and produced by The Exchange’s Caddy Vanasirikul and Brian O’Shea, Flower Films’ Ember Truesdell and Chris Miller, and Tom McNulty.
The Stand-In is the story of a disaffected comedy actress busted for tax evasion and her adoring, ambitious stand-in who she hires to do community service in her place. A co-dependent relationship ensues as the actress begins to use the stand-in in all parts of her life to escape from the stressful demands of fame. Eventually, the stand-in starts to take the actress’s identity, career and boyfriend, and finally kicks her out of her own house.
“Drew Barrymore’s acting prowess is on full display and will keep audiences laughing as she seamlessly transforms between her two characters,” commented Saban Films’ Bill Bromiley. “We are thrilled to continue to spotlight indie film, and after seeing it via the Tribeca Film Festival, bring it to our audiences during these tough times.”
Bill Bromiley and Jonathan Saba negotiated the deal for Saban Films along with CAA Media Finance, UTA Independent Film Group and The Exchange on behalf of the filmmakers. Saban Films is executive producing alongside Flower Films’ Drew Barrymore, Nancy Juvonen; Ingenious Media’s Christelle Conan, Anders Erden, Simon Williams, The Exchange’s Nat McCormick, Giovanna Trischitta; Wrigley Media Group’s Misdee Wrigley-Miller, Jayne Hancock, Ross Babbit, Danny Tepper; J3’s John Jencks and Joe Simpson, Jay Taylor, and Sam Bain.
Saban Films continues to grow its presence in the industry, remaining active in the acquisition, production and distribution space. The company’s successes have run the gamut from critically acclaimed theatrical films such as The Homesman starring Hilary Swank, to two of the biggest Fathom events with horror icon and heavy metal mastermind Rob Zombie’s 3 From Hell last year and Kevin Smith’s Jay and Silent Bob Reboot, the sequel to the 2001 comedy Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back which the company partnered on after coming onboard at script stage.
Its upcoming slate includes: Daniel Roby’s crime-thriller Most Wanted starring Antoine Olivier Pilon with Jim Gaffigan and Josh Hartnett; the Alicia Silverstone wedding comedy Sister of the Groom; Alex McAulay’s thriller Don’t Tell a Soul starring Jack Dylan Grazer, Fionn Whitehead, Mena Suvari and Emmy Award-nominated Rainn Wilson; Robin Pront’s crime thriller The Silencing starring Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Annabelle Wallis and Hero Fiennes Tiffin; Nicol Paone’s Friendsgiving with Malin Akerman, Christine Taylor, Jane Seymour, Kat Dennings and Chelsea Peretti; John Suits’ Breach starring Bruce Willis; and Twist starring Michael Caine, Lena Headey and Rita Ora.
He is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic, accredited by the Cannes Film Festival, Telluride Film Festival, Toronto International Film Festival and more, is a member of the International Cinephile Society (ICS), The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics (GALECA), Critics Choice Association (CCA), San Francisco Bay Area Film Critics Circle (SFBAFCC) and the International Press Academy. Among his many achieved goals with AwardsWatch, he has given a platform to underrepresented writers and critics and supplied them with access to film festivals and the industry and calls the Bay Area his home where he lives with his husband and son.
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