Academy Award winner Ariana DeBose, who delivered a star-making performance as Anita in Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story,” has nabbed her next leading role — and it’s a far-cry from the musical fare audiences have become accustomed to.
DeBose will star in “House of Spoils” a new psychological thriller for Amazon Studios and Blumhouse Television, written and directed by “Blow the Man Down” filmmakers Bridget Savage Cole and Danielle Krudy, based on their original idea.
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The film follows an ambitious chef (DeBose) who opens her first restaurant — a farm-to-table affair on a remote estate — where she battles kitchen chaos, a dubious investor and crushing self doubt. But the pressure heats up thanks to the powerful spirit of the estate’s previous owner who threatens to sabotage her at every turn. Described as a “tense, psychological and sensuous thriller that will leave hearts pounding and mouths watering,” the film is set to start production this fall and will premiere on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.
“House of Spoils” continues a collaboration forged by Prime Video and Blumhouse Television in 2019, plus, a reunion with filmmakers Cole and Krudy, producers Secret Engine, and Amazon Studios. Cole and Krudy’s debut feature “Blow the Man Down” premiered at the 2019 Tribeca Film Festival, winning the prize for Best Narrative Screenplay, before Amazon Studios acquired worldwide rights the film, produced by Secret Engine, ahead of the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival. The film went on to be nominated for an Independent Spirit Award for best first screenplay.
“Since ‘Blow the Man Down,’ we have been huge fans of Bridget and Danielle’s unique filmmaking voice and knew we needed to be a part of whatever they wanted to do next,” stated Julie Rapaport, head of movies at Amazon Studios. “Pairing their thrilling script with Ariana’s incredible talent is a dream come true, and we could not be more excited to bring this story to the screen and to our customers around the world.”
Added Blumhouse Television president Chris McCumber: “We’re excited to see Ariana’s fresh, bold and spirited energy that won her an Oscar in a role that is completely different. And with the gifted filmmaking team of Bridget and Danielle, the talent in front of and behind the camera is exceptional.”
Producers on the project are Jason Blum for Blumhouse; Alex Scharfman, Lucas Joaquin, and Drew Houpt for Secret Engine; and Adam Hendricks and Greg Gilreath for Divide/Conquer; with McCumber and Jeremy Gold executive producing on behalf of Blumhouse Television.
Following DeBose’s award season domination (she received Oscar, BAFTA, Critics Choice, and SAG Awards for her “West Side Story” performance) and the historic nature of her Oscar win (she became the first openly queer Afro Latina to win an Academy Award) earlier this year, the celebrated actor has a number of high-profile projects in the works. DeBose will next star in Sony Pictures’ “Kraven the Hunter,” which will be released Janz 13, 2023, and Matthew Vaughn’s action film “Argylle” for Apple, as well as Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s space thriller “I.S.S.”
In addition to that big-screen billing, DeBose will also return for the second season of “Schmigadoon!,” the Lorne Michaels-executive produced musical comedy for Apple TV+. The triple-threat performer also proved her mettle in the musical genre hosting this year’s Tony Awards following her own Tony-nominated turn as “Disco Donna” in “Summer: The Donna Summer Musical” (which earned her a nod for Best Featured Actress in a Musical in 2018), and as an original cast member of Lin Manuel Miranda’s hit musical “Hamilton,” as well as an acclaimed performance in Ryan Murphy’s Netflix adaptation of the hit-Broadway musical “The Prom.”
DeBose is represented by CAA, AC Management, Jackoway Austen Tyerman, and the Lede Company. Krudy and Cole are represented by Grandview and CAA.
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