Rob Lowe, who captivated the internet in March with his fiery insights into the hurdles of filming projects amidst the hustle and bustle of Los Angeles, has returned to Tinseltown to lead an independent film titled "The Musical." The beloved actor will share the screen with Gillian Jacobs and Tony Award-winner Will Brill in this dark comedy, directed by Giselle Bonilla and penned by Alexander Heller. Currently underway in Los Angeles, the production aims to capitalize on the city's tax incentives for local shoots, particularly for indie features, as highlighted by The Hollywood Reporter.
In "The Musical," Brill takes on the role of a disgruntled playwright and middle school theater teacher who discovers his ex-girlfriend (Jacobs) has embarked on a romance with his arch-nemesis, the school's principal (Lowe). Fuelled by jealousy, he devises a cunning plan to sabotage the principal's bid for academic excellence by staging the most outrageously inappropriate musical conceivable. The narrative delves into the intricacies of love, jealousy, ambition, and pretension.
This project marks an expansion of an earlier collaboration between Bonilla and Heller, graduates of the American Film Institute, who previously worked together on a short film of the same name. "The Musical" is produced by Lowe, Heller, Greg Lauritano, Jordan Backhus, and Findlay Brown, with a stellar line-up of executive producers including Jonathan Levine, Gillian Bohrer, Chris Quintos Cathcart, Tyler Boehm, and Vince Jolivette. David Duque-Estrada co-produces, while Jamie Ember serves as casting director. WME Independent handles sales for this promising venture.
In a statement, Lauritano, whose credits span "Fairyland," "Bleeding Love," "Big Gold Brick," and upcoming films "The Dreadful" and "Family Movie," expressed his delight at filming in Los Angeles, especially after the devastating wildfires of January. "The local crew brings an unparalleled passion for cinema, setting the perfect tone for our entire production," Lauritano enthused. "Receiving the California tax credit has been a godsend, helping to offset some of the costs associated with shooting here. Rob and I recently had a heartfelt conversation about the significance of bringing production back to L.A., and I'm thrilled to be doing just that, partnering with him on this thrilling film."
In March, Lowe caused quite a stir during his sit-down with Adam Scott on the highly popular SiriusXM podcast, "Literally! With Rob Lowe." During their captivating conversation, Lowe laid into local leaders and politicians for permitting productions to abandon the state of California. With passionate fervor, the actor, producer, and best-selling author exclaimed, "What California and L.A. have allowed to happen is criminal. Everyone involved should be fired." He continued, "Why do I have to shoot my American game show, 'The Floor,' in Ireland? It's simply cheaper to bring 100 people to Ireland than to film across the lot at Fox Studios here."
This bombshell revelation added more gasoline to the already blazing fire surrounding the exodus of productions and its devastating impact on the local economy, as well as film and TV workers. Currently, Lowe hosts and produces Fox's 'The Floor,' which tops the TV ratings among game shows and has been renewed for its fourth and fifth seasons, with the fourth set to premiere on September 24. Up next for Lowe is a starring role opposite Crispin Glover in Bleecker Street's horror film, 'The Third Parent.' He recently shone in '9-1-1: Lone Star' and co-starred with his son, John Owen Lowe, in 'Unstable.' Lowe is represented by WME, Brillstein, the law firm of Latham & Watkins, and the publicity firm R&CPMK.
Brill, who won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Play for his role in 'Stereophonic,' the most Tony-nominated play of all time, has an impressive resume. On the small screen, Brill had a supporting role in the Peabody Award-winning Showtime series, 'Fellow Travelers,' where he portrayed the controversial figure Roy Cohn alongside Matt Bomer and Jonathan Bailey. His credits also include 'The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel.' Upcoming projects for Brill include starring opposite Austin Butler in Darren Aronofsky's 'Caught Stealing,' 'The Whisper Man' with Robert DeNiro and Michelle Monaghan, and 'Being Heumann,' the follow-up to Sian Heder's acclaimed 'CODA.'
Jacobs, who can currently be seen on Hulu's 'The Bear' and voices Atom Eve in Amazon Prime's hit animated series 'Invincible,' is best known for her work on Netflix's original series 'Love' and the beloved comedy series 'Community.' Her diverse credits also span 'Girls,' 'Transatlantic,' 'Winning Time,' 'Ibiza,' 'Fear Street,' 'Violence of Action,' 'I Used to Go Here,' and 'Life of the Party.' Brill and Jacobs are both represented by WME and Authentic.
Bonilla, an actress who has worked on 'Grey's Anatomy' and 'Switched at Birth,' is represented by WME and 42. She has previously directed short films such as 'Rata,' 'Mort,' 'Stuck,' and 'The Bullfighter.' Heller, a producer and writer, is represented by Prime Talent Media and boasts credits including 'We Met at Camp,' 'Out Here,' and 'Beep.' Lauritano is represented by WME Independent.
