The Actor: Release date, cast, trailer, and everything to know
The Actor is Duke Johnson's first live-action film and his solo directing debut. Releasing in theaters on March 14, 2025, it is an upcoming American crime mystery film. Based on the 2010 book Memory by Donald E. Westlake, the script is co-written by Stephen Cooney and Johnson.
The story, which is set in the 1950s, revolves around Paul Cole (André Holland), an actor from New York. Following a terrible event, he finds himself in a small town in Ohio, with no memory of who he is or where he came from. Paul faces the fugitive nature of memory and identity as he sets out on a hunt to rediscover himself while battling amnesia.
Set against a background of riddles and pressure, the film explores themes of tone discovery, the frailty of mortal memory, and the pursuit of particular verity.
Release date and cast of The Actor
Release date
The Actor will be distributed by Neon and begin showing in limited US cinemas on March 14, 2025. This release strategy suggests an original focus on select requests, with implicit expansion grounded on followership events and critical sun. Given Neon's history of handling distinctive films, prospects are high for a strategic rollout that maximizes the movie's reach and impact.
Cast details
The film's cast is led by André Holland, who plays Paul Cole. Holland is known for playing compelling characters in Selma (2014) and the Oscar-winning film Moonlight (2016).
Additionally, Gemma Chan plays Edna, a local costume designer who gets deeply involved in Paul's journey. Chan is known for her diverse roles in films like Crazy Rich Asians (2018) and The Creator (2023).
The other supporting cast includes:
- Tracey Ullman
- Toby Jones
- Simon McBurney
- Joe Cole
- Tanya Reynolds
- May Calamawy
- Olwen Fouéré
- Fabien Frankel
- Youssef Kerkour
- Edward Hogg
- Asim Chaudhry
- Scott Alexander Young
- Cassie Lauren Lewis
About the trailer and music in The Actor
On February 19, 2025, the official trailer for The Actor was released, giving viewers an idea of the mood of the film; one that is both evocative and tense.
Meanwhile, Richard Reed Parry - a member of the Grammy Award-winning rock band Arcade Fire, wrote the music for this film. Parry's unique musical compositions are renowned, and his writing fits well with the movie's enigmatic mood.
Production of The Actor
The process of turning The Actor from paper to screen started in February 2021 when Ryan Gosling was first cast in the part of Paul Cole. Meanwhile, Duke Johnson, who co-wrote the script with Stephen Cooney for the critically acclaimed 2015 stop-motion movie Anomalisa, was revealed as the co-director.
In October 2022, it was revealed that André Holland replaced Gosling as the lead. Meanwhile, Gosling became a patron, working with Paul Young's Make Good establishment, Johnson and Abigail Spencer's Innerlight Films, and Ken Kao of Waypoint Entertainment. Furthermore, Charlie Kaufman joined the film as an administrative patron and contributed his unique style to the development.
However, there were multiple detainments in pre-production; principal photography was first slated to take place in Los Angeles in September 2021, but it was moved to mid-January 2022. Eventually, in November 2022, rephotographing started in Budapest, Hungary, and the filming wrapped in April 2023.
With Budapest offering a flexible background, the filmmakers were able to faithfully capture the Midwestern American terrain of the 1950s. Additionally, Gosling continued to serve as an executive producer, while Holland took over as the film's lead.
The Actor offers a deep examination of identity, memory, and particular reality. It's anticipated that fresh promotional accouterments and critical evaluations will give fresh sapience into this interesting film design as the March 14 release date draws near.
