Ron Funches is headed to Harlem’s Jazz Age. The comedian and actor has joined the cast of Tessa Thompson and Nnamdi Asomugha’s love story, “Sylvie.”
The film, written and directed by Eugene Ashe, is described as a love story set in the cool jazz era of New York City in the late 1950s and early 1960s.
It follows Sylvie (Thompson) who meets aspiring saxophonist Robert (Asomugha) when he takes a job at her father’s record store in Harlem. After a summer romance that comes to an end, the two fatefully reconnect several years later and find that their feelings for each other have never disappeared.
Funches’ role is being kept under wraps. “Sylvie” stars Thompson (“Creed”) and Asomugha (“Crown Heights”), both of whom will also produce. Asomugha will produce through his iAm21 Entertainment banner alongside Jonathan Baker (“The Banker”), Gabrielle Glore (“Dirty Laundry”) and Matthew Thurm (“Crown Heights”). Thompson will executive produce.
Funches’ previously voiced a character in Fox’s 2016 animated film “Trolls,” and will reprise his role as Cooper in the sequel, “Trolls World Tour,” which is set to hit theaters next year. He will also appear in the CBS Films comedy “Lexi,” starring Rose Byrne, Michael Peña, Adam Devine and Justin Hartley.
Filming on “Sylvie” is already underway, and earlier this week the project added Wendi McLendon-Covey, who stars in ABC’s long-running comedy series “The Goldbergs,” to the cast.
The film will also feature Eva Longoria, Aja Naomi King (“The Birth Of A Nation”), Alano Miller (“Loving”), Erica Gimpel (“God Friended Me”), Jemima Kirke (“Girls”), John Magaro (“The Big Short”), Lance Reddick (“John Wick”), MC Lyte, Regé-Jean Page (“Roots”), Ryan Michelle Bathe (“This Is Us”) and Tone Bell (“Little”).