Ed Harris, Sonequa Martin-Green & Natalie Morales Cast In Military Veterans Dramedy “My Dead Friend Zoe” From Legion M & Radiant Media Studios
Kyle Hausmann-Stokes Co-Wrote and will Direct in his Feature Film Debut
Los Angeles, CA - May 17, 2023 - Ed Harris (Westworld, Apollo 13, Pollock), Sonequa Martin-Green (Star Trek: Discovery, The Walking Dead, Space Jam) and Natalie Morales (No Hard Feelings, Language Lessons, Parks & Rec) have signed to lead the cast of My Dead Friend Zoe, a dark comedy drama about two generations of veterans, family and friendship. Kyle Hausmann-Stokes co-wrote the script with A.J. Bermudez, and will direct in his feature debut based off an award-winning short he wrote and directed last year titled, Merit x Zoe.
Engaged in a mysterious but comfortable friendship with her wise-cracking (and dead) best friend from the Army (Morales), a female veteran (Martin-Green) is summoned to the remote lake house of her estranged Vietnam vet grandfather (Harris) and tasked with providing the one thing he refuses…help.
“My fellow veterans and I often get reduced to archetypes and melodramatic tropes. We’re much more dynamic, funny, complex than that. This will be a story about veterans we haven’t seen before; one that anyone, military/veteran or not, can relate to and enjoy,” said writer-director Hausmann-Stokes.
"We're thrilled to have high caliber talents like Ed, Natalie and Sonequa join us in bringing Kyle's unique and emotional story to life," said Paul Scanlan, Producer, Co-Founder and CEO of Legion M. "Beyond the entertainment and commercial potential, we love that the film highlights veterans and female soldiers in a fresh way and delivers a strong social message about mental health and suicide.”
"We are honored to support Kyle’s vision and bring attention to the mental health challenges facing our nation’s veterans. This is an inclusive story with an outstanding cast and we’re gratified that our renewable energy investments can help bring these important stories to light." Ray Maiello and Mike Field, Radiant Media Studios LLC
My Dead Friend Zoe is based on writer-director Hausmann-Stokes’ real life experiences during and after the military where he served five years in the US Army as a paratrooper, convoy commander and was awarded the Bronze Star while in Iraq. He graduated from USC School of Cinematic Arts, is the co-founder of Veterans in Media & Entertainment, and has focused his two decade directing career on the social/human side of the military and veteran experience.
Paul Scanlan and Terri Lubaroff of Legion M, alongside Richard Silverman, will produce. Also producing are Ray Maiello and Mike Field of Radiant Media Studios. Executive Producers include Jeff Annison and David Baxter from Legion M. Co-Producers include Liz Manashil, Maury Sterling and Chris Marvin, with casting by Jamie Castro.
Harris is repped by CAA. Martin-Green is repped by The Gersh Agency and Principal Entertainment LA. Morales is repped by CAA, Bleecker Street Entertainment and GGSSC.
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About Legion M:
Since 2016, Legion M has cultivated a collection of fans and creators banding together to shape the future of entertainment. Founded and led by two Emmy award-winners, Legion M is a film production company based in Los Angeles that partners with creators - from independent filmmakers to big Hollywood studios - to produce movies, TV shows, documentaries, VR experiences and more.
Legion M’s roster includes acclaimed releases such as Mandy, Archenemy, Jay and Silent Bob Reboot and Colossal, with upcoming projects The Man in the White Van, You Can Call Me Bill, Nandor Fodor And The Talking Mongoose, and many more. For more information on recent projects and credits, visit www.legionm.com.