Gabourey Sidibe will star in and executive produce Rose Moon, a Southern Gothic psychological drama directed by filmmaker Daniel Peddle.
The film tells the story of Rose King, a lonely North Carolina probation officer whose obsession with a relationship with a parolee puts her career at risk. The film is based on a true story, and the filmmakers say Rose Moon explores “solitude, desire, power, faith, and identity through the lens of a middle-aged black woman experiencing a late-life sexual awakening.”
This will be Sidibe’s first starring role as Rose since her breakout role in the Oscar-nominated 2009 film Precious. She has worked closely with Peddle on the script and character development.
“Whenever news breaks that a female prison officer had a romantic relationship with an inmate, I always wonder about that woman and what led her to make such a choice,” Sidibe said in a statement. “Without judgment, I wonder why she would have to risk her life, her safety, and above all, her freedom. When Daniel told me this story, I understood immediately. It’s not love or even excitement that drives a person to make such a risky decision. It’s loneliness. A soul-crushing, excruciating loneliness.”
Peddle’s previous films include “Moss” and “Beyond The Aggressives: 25 Years Later.” Sidibe’s credits include “Empire,” “Antebellum,” and “Tower Heist.” She recently made her feature directorial debut with Lifetime’s “Be Happy” and is currently filming the next season of “American Horror Story.”
“Gabourey brought extraordinary emotional intelligence, vulnerability, humor and humanity to Rose,” Peddle said. “From our first conversation, she deeply identified with the character and challenged me to push the material even further. That collaboration made the film richer, more emotionally true, and more expansive.”
“Rose Moon” will begin production this year in Georgia and will be produced by Tyler Stevenson of Coffee Robot, with Anton Palmer, Brian Pendleton of Drama Queen Productions, and Wellington Love of w/Love Productions. Casting: Ryan Taimenski.
Sidibe is represented by Authentic Talent & Literary Management and TS Law Group.
