Harsh Vardhan
Briana Middleton and Stella Everett will headline Josalynn Smith’s feature directorial debut! Moviedelic has learned that the actresses have joined the cast of the romantic thriller ‘Ride or Die.’ The movie’s filming will start in St. Louis, Missouri, on August 25. Smith also wrote the screenplay.
The plot revolves around Paula, whose post-college life takes an unexpected and dangerous turn when she reconnects with her high school crush, Jamie. What starts as a routine errand in California quickly spirals into a harrowing road trip across the Midwest. Paula, who is stuck working at her stepfather’s megachurch, finds herself defending Jamie from a theft accusation, and the two embark on a journey filled with escalating danger and twisted motives.
The synopsis reveals a harrowing journey as Paula and Jamie flee together, encountering dangerous strangers and violent situations that expose the deep emotional scars the latter carries. What starts as a seemingly liberating escape quickly spirals into a darker, more sinister mission, driven by Jamie’s thirst for revenge against her abusive father. As the trip grows increasingly treacherous, Paula begins to question her companion’s true motives. The tension culminates in a violent confrontation at Jamie’s father’s house, forcing Paula to make a painful choice. Ultimately, she leaves her high school crush to face the consequences alone, choosing her own safety over their shared past.
Middleton recently starred as Hannah Abernathy in ‘The Inheritance,’ a thriller about a billionaire who, on the night before his 75th birthday, invites his estranged children home, fearing for his life and placing their inheritances on the line to ensure their help. She also appeared in Julianne Moore’s ‘Sharper,’ a crime drama in which a con artist disrupts Manhattan’s elite, leading to a chaotic unraveling of motivations and expectations. She took on the role of Sidney in George Clooney’s biographical drama ‘The Tender Bar’ as well.
Everett portrayed Isabella in CBS/Paramount+’s ‘Evil,’ a series in which a skeptical psychologist teams up with a Catholic priest-in-training to delve into the church’s unresolved cases of miracles, unexplained phenomena, and demonic possessions. She also appeared in CBS’ ‘East New York’ as Darla and in the short film ‘Hide and Seek.’ The actress will star in the upcoming short ‘Love from Friends.’
‘Ride or Die’ is a feature-length adaptation of Smith’s 2019 short film of the same title. The original short follows Paula and Jamie on a road trip to Thebes, Kentucky, where their growing connection is tested by the latter’s determination to seek revenge on her father. The feature film carries the themes of deepening bonds and confronting darker motives. Additionally, Smith directed the short ‘Enfin Seule,’ which explores a young woman’s unsettling journey through the afterlife as she is forced to confront her past in search of peace.
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