EXCLUSIVE: Oscar and Golden Globe winner Mercedes Ruehl (The Fisher King, Hustlers), Nolan Gould (Modern Family, Friends with Benefits) and Will Peltz (Sierra Burgess Is a Loser, Manifest) have signed on to star in The Nana Project, a mockumentary-style comedy from actor-director Robin Givens (Haunted Trail, Horror Noire), which is scheduled to enter production in the Atlanta area in January.
The film is set primarily in Timeless Acres Retirement Home and follows feisty chess master Helen “Nana” Lewis (Ruehl) and her estranged grandsons, Andrew (Gould) and Cody (Peltz). With the support of Nana’s resident friends, the family embarks on a road trip to support her rise to state championships.
Givens’ latest feature was written by Eric Ulloa (Jekyll and Hyde, Nickelodeon/Noggin’s Meet the Alpha Beats), Anthony Del Negro (The Girl in the Window) and 12-time Tony Award winner Carl Moellenberg (Wakefield). The latter is also producing on behalf of Dominion Pictures alongside Zach O’Brien, Shane O’Brien and Del Negro on behalf of Stargazer Films.
Givens recently directed episodes of The CW’s Riverdale, along with the TV movies The Jenkins Family Christmas and Ann Rule’s A Murder to Remember. Her recent credits on the acting side include Steven Soderbergh’s upcoming crime drama KIMI, The CW’s Batwoman (in which she plays Jada Jet) and The CW’s Riverdale.
Ruehl earned her Oscar and Golden Globe in 1992 for her supporting turn as Anne in Terry Gilliam’s The Fisher King. The actress has also appeared on the film side in Hustlers, Last Action Hero, Lost in Yonkers, Another You, Married to the Mob, Big and Radio Days, among other titles, appearing on the TV side in Bull, Power, Frasier and more.
Gould is a four-time SAG Award winner best known for his turn as Luke Dunphy in ABC’s Modern Family. He’s also featured in series including Sofia the First and Good Luck Charlie, along with films including The To Do List and Friends with Benefits.
Peltz has previously appeared in films including 13 Minutes, Sierra Burgess Is a Loser, Men, Women & Children and Unfriended, as well as such series as Manifest and Euphoria.
Givens is represented by A3 Artists Agency and Kaplan-Stahler Agency; Ruehl by Sue Leibman of Barking Dog Entertainment and Peikoff-Mahan; Gould by Artists & Representatives, MC Talent Management, The Brand Partners and Myman Greenspan Fox; Peltz by Innovative Artists and Management Production Entertainment.
Must Read Stories
Subscribe to Deadline Breaking News Alerts and keep your inbox happy.