EXCLUSIVE: American Gods star Emily Browning has replaced Anna Paquin on feature drama Monica, which got underway this week in Ohio.
As we revealed previously, also starring in the movie from Italian filmmaker Andrea Pallaoro are Trace Lysette (Hustlers), Oscar nominee Patricia Clarkson (Sharp Objects) and Oscar nominee Adriana Barraza (Babel). Paquin was no longer available due to scheduling conflicts.
The Exchange is handling world sales on the drama, which will chart the story of a woman (Lysette) who returns home to the Midwest to care for her dying mother (Clarkson).
From an original screenplay by the director and Orlando Tirado (Hannah), the film is being produced by Gina Resnick (Thirteen Conversations About One Thing, Medeas), Christina Dow (Hannah), Eleonora Granata (Medeas) and Pallaoro. Co-producers are Marina Marzotto and Mattia Oddone for Propaganda Italia, with RAI Cinema, Riccardo Di Pasquale, Antonio Adinolfi and Gabriele Oricchio for Fenix Entertainment and with Giorgia Lo Savio for Alacran Pictures. Andrei Epifanov, Steve Stanulis, David Schwarz, Julien Bourgon, Dru Davis, Christina Sibul (Thirteen) and BAFTA-winning producer Karen Tenkhoff (The Motorcycle Diaries) are executive producers.
Stanulis told us: “We are very excited to be part of this project that just got started filming. Everyone at Stanulis Films truly believes in the topic, the awareness and the timing of the script. All the people attached to it are incredible.”
Pallaoro’s 2017 sophomore feature Hannah played at Toronto and Venice, where it won Charlotte Rampling the festival’s best actress prize. His first film, Medeas, also premiered in competition on the Lido.
Australian actress Browning is also well known for hit series The Affair and movies including Legend and Sucker Punch.
