Carrie Coon and Ben Platt Cast in Psychological Thriller I AM NOT YOUR MOTHER

Broadway alums Carrie Coon and Ben Platt will share the screen in a new psychological thriller film, I Am Not Your Mother, Deadline reports. The film is directed by Craig Johnson from a screenplay he wrote with Ryan O'Connell. Lukas Gage will also star.

According to the synopsis, the film follows a young queer director, Ollie, played by Platt, who becomes fixated on legendary actress Nora Dresden (Coon.) Looking for a comeback, she agrees to star in his debut feature, but his admiration turns into obsession, sparking a toxic collaboration and game of control between the duo.

The premise has echoes of Sunset Boulevard, the 1950 Billy Wilder classic and subsequent Andrew Lloyd Webber stage musical. The name of Coon's character, "Nora Dresden," is reminiscent of the iconic actress Norma Desmond at the center of the aforementioned story.

The darkly comedic film, currently in pre-production, will shop for buyers at the Cannes market in June. As a director, Johnson's previous work includes The Skeleton Twins, Wilson, and The Parenting.

Ben Platt is known for his work across stage and screen, including originating the title role in Dear Evan Hansen. He won the Tony Award for his performance and went on to reprise his role in the Universal film adaptation. He also portrayed Leo Frank in the 2023 Broadway revival of Parade, garnering another Tony nomination. 

Carrie Coon’s work spans stage, television, and film. Her portrayal of Honey in the Broadway revival of Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? earned her a Tony Award nomination. Since then, she’s appeared Off-Broadway in Placebo (Playwrights Horizons) and Mary Jane (New York Theatre Workshop), and has been a company member with Steppenwolf Theatre (2019). She was most recently on Broadway in Tracy Letts's Bug.

Ben Platt Photo Credit: Frank Micelotta/PictureGroup for FX; Carrie Coon Photo Credit: Bruce Glikas