VARIETY – The Dakota Johnson indie “Cha Cha Real Smooth” has added seven stars to its supporting cast, as production kicks off Thursday in Pittsburgh.

Leslie Mann, Brad Garrett, Raúl Castillo, Odeya Rush, Vanessa Burghardt, Evan Assante and Colton Osorio have all joined the film project from writer-director-star Cooper Raiff.

“Cha Cha Real Smooth” follows a directionless college grad embarking on a relationship with a young mom and her teenage daughter, all while learning the boundaries of his new gig as a bar mitzvah hype man. Erik Feig’s Picturestart, Endeavor Content, and Johnson and Ro Donnelly’s TeaTime Pictures are producing. Financing is from Picturestart and Endeavor Content, and the latter is co-repping worldwide distribution rights with ICM Partners.

The feature comes on the heels of Raiff’s debut “Shithouse,” which won the 2020 SXSW Grand Jury Prize.

“We are thrilled to begin production on this heartwarming, heartbreaking, heart-pumping and unique film of Cooper Raiff’s, with our friends and partners at TeaTime and Endeavor Content. ‘Cha Cha Real Smooth’ is going to become a whole bunch of people’s favorite movie of all time pretty soon,” said Feig.

[…]

Rush is best known for her role in Greta Gerwig’s “Lady Bird,” and she has also starred in Netflix’s “Dumplin” and Sony’s “Goosebumps.” She is represented by CAA, MGMT Entertainment, and Goodman, Genow, Schenkman, Smelkinson & Christopher. […]

I have added a new HQ photoshoot to the gallery. Odeya looks stunning!

MTV Entertainment Studios presents Pink Skies Ahead, premiering Saturday, May 8th at 9PM ET/PT

DEADLINE – Pink Skies Ahead, the drama written and directed by Kelly Oxford that MTV Entertainment Studios acquired ahead of its world premiere at last year’s AFI Fest, will premiere commercial free on MTV and simulcast on Pop TV on Saturday, May 8 at 9 p.m. It will bow as part of MTV’s newly launched Mental Health is Health initiative.

Set in Los Angeles in 1998, it follows Winona (End of the F***ing World‘s Jessica Barden) who, after dropping out of college and moving back home to live with her parents, is diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Skeptical of her doctor’s opinion — she hasn’t had a panic attack after all —Winona carries on with her wild lifestyle. Only when things begin to truly unravel around her, does she reluctantly decide to see a therapist and face her truths.

Mary J. Blige, Devon Bostick, Marcia Gay Harden, Michael McKean, Lewis Pullman, Evan Ross, Odeya Rush, Rosa Salazar and Henry Winkler also star in the film based on an Oxford short story.

Pink Skies Ahead is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios and Stampede Ventures.

AFI Festivals Director of Programming Sarah Harris leads a conversation between filmmaker Kelly Oxford and actors Jessica Barden, Odeya Rush and Devon Bostick.

DEADLINE – MTV Studios has acquired the worldwide rights to Stampede Ventures’ coming-of-age film Pink Skies Ahead from writer/director Kelly Oxford. The film will make its worldwide premiere at the AFI Film Festival tomorrow.

Set in Los Angeles in 1998, the film follows Winona, who after dropping out of college and moving back home to live with her parents, is diagnosed with an anxiety disorder. Skeptical of her doctor’s opinion — she hasn’t had a panic attack after all — Winona carries on with her wild lifestyle. Only when things begin to truly unravel around her, does she reluctantly decide to see a therapist and face her truths.

The film stars Jessica Barden, Mary J. Blige, Marcia Gay Harden, Michael McKean, Lewis Pullman, Devon Bostick , Evan Ross Cameron, Rosa Salazar, Odeya Rush and Henry Winkler .

“I’m thrilled my directorial debut found a great home at MTV Studios,” said Oxford. “One out of five people experience mental illness and we need to portray this in a real way for those who live with it directly or indirectly. I’m excited to finally share Winona with the world.”

The film is produced by Greg Silverman of Stampede Ventures, Lisa Zambri, as well as Greg Gilreath and Adam Hendricks of Divide/Conquer and in association with Foton Pictures and Glanzrock Productions. Executive producers are Gideon Yu and Chris Bosco of Stampede Ventures, Zac Locke of Divide/Conquer, Carlos Cuscó and Emerson Machtus of Foton.Pictures, and Andrew Davies Gans of Glanzrock Productions.

The deal was negotiated by Meghan Hooper and Jodi Carmichael on behalf of MTV Studios with Chris Bosco and Anna Pinar of Stampede Ventures, Endeavor Content, and CAA on behalf of the filmmakers.

DEADLINE – Sandra Oh To Star in Stage 6 Films’ Supernatural Horror Pic ‘Umma’ With Sam Raimi Producing

Sony Pictures’ Stage 6 Films has acquired worldwide rights to Raimi Productions and Starlight Media’s supernatural horror film Umma, starring Golden Globe winner Sandra Oh, who also serves as executive producer.

Iris K. Shim, wrote the screenplay and will make her feature film directing debut. Fivel Stewart, Dermot Mulroney, Odeya Rush, MeeWha Alana Lee and Tom Yi also have joined the cast.

Umma, which is the Korean word for “mother,” follows Amanda (Oh) and her daughter living a quiet life on an American farm, but when the remains of her estranged mother arrive from Korea, Amanda becomes haunted by the fear of turning into her own mother. […]