Jessica Switch: Last News

Michaela Zee editor “Cha Cha Real Smooth” and “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” are among the recent honorees of the Ruderman Family Foundation’s Seal of Authentic Representation, Variety has learned exclusively. The Foundation recognizes films and television series that include authentic representation of people with disabilities. Vanessa Burghardt, an actor with autism, plays Domino’s (Dakota Johnson) autistic daughter Lola in the comedy-drama film “Cha Cha Real Smooth.” “From the moment the film’s creator, Cooper Raiff, saw Vanessa’s audition, he knew instantly that she was our Lola. No one could deny her talent but authenticity was important to everyone, so Cooper changed the script to age up the character and that was the end of it. Looking back, I cannot imagine another person playing Lola,” said producer Jessica Switch in a statement. “Vanessa was perfect. She was extremely professional and sweet on set. She nailed every take and always came prepared. She also brought her personal experience to the character. The headphones that she wears in the movie are her own headphones, and similar to the character, Vanessa uses them as a source of comfort and security.”

EXCLUSIVE: Sony Pictures and Picturestart won an auction and will pay mid-six against high six-figures for Yeti, a Peter Gaffney spec script that will be produced by Jon Silk through his first look deal at Picturestart.

Picturestart and Picture Perfect Federation have set JC Lee to direct the English-language remake of Thai hit Bad Genius and also announced key cast members as well as a raft of international presales.

Angelique Jackson “Luce” writer JC Lee is set to make his directorial debut with “Bad Genius,” the upcoming English-language remake of the 2017 hit Thai film “Chalard Games Goeng (Bad Genius).” Picturestart and Picture Perfect Federation are producing the project, which will star Benedict Wong (“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness”) alongside up-and-coming talent Callina Liang (“Tell Me Everything”) and Jabari Banks (“Bel-Air”). The film is financed by Mallory Edens’ Little Ray Media and will begin production in May. The original film was written and directed by Nattawut Poonpiriya and produced by Thai film studio GDH 559 Company Limited. The movie debuted at No. 1 at the Thai box office, quickly becoming the country’s highest-grossing Thai film of the year and, ultimately, the most internationally successful Thai film ever.

EXCLUSIVE: Charlie Hall (Bel-Air, Single Drunk Female) has booked a trio of TV and film projects with HBO Max and Disney+.

EXCLUSIVE: NBA Hall of Famer Chris Webber’s memoir “By God’s Grace” is being developed into a TV series by Picturestart ahead of the book’s release on November 15. The TV series is currently being shopped to networks and streamers.

Apple has closed the biggest deal of the 2022 Virtual Sundance Film Festival, securing worldwide rights to the Cooper Raiff-directed Cha Cha Real Smooth for around $15 million. The streamer has been the front runner for the picture since it premiered January 23 in the US Dramatic Competition category.

Erik Feig’s Picturestart has appointed longtime TV executive Samie Kim Falvey as President. Falvey joins from Imagine Entertainment where she spent nearly four years as President and, most recently, Chairman of Television.

EXCLUSIVE:  Apple Original Films and A24’s con-artist feature Sharper has added Briana Middleton as one of the four leads. Middleton will play Sandra, a young woman who finds herself in over her head when she enters the complex world of con artists.

HBO Genera+ion actor Justice Smith has joined Julianne Moore and Sebastian Stan in Apple Original Film and A24’s Sharper. 

EXCLUSIVE: The Falcon and the Winter Soldier‘s leading man will star alongside Oscar winner Julianne Moore in Apple Original film and A24’s  Sharper, we can tell you first.