“Pushing Daisies” alum Anna Friel and “Fargo” star Oliver Platt have joined the cast of Bron Studios and Gilbert Films’ fantasy horror comedy “The Master Cleanse,” TheWrap has learned.
Johnny Galecki and Anjelica Huston star in the film, which serves as the feature debut of writer-director Bobby Miller.
After holding onto heartbreak for several years, Paul (Galecki) decides to restart his life, joining a spiritual retreat designed to cleanse negative toxins from his body. But things take a turn when Paul and the other participants discover that the cleanse releases something far greater than everyday toxins and traumatic experiences.
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Described as a soulful and humorous blend of Cronenberg body-horror and old-school Amblin movies, “The Master Cleanse” asks whether we can kill our demons before they kill us.
Friel, who stars in Peter Horton’s upcoming NBC drama “Odyssey,” replaces Chloë Sevigny, who had a scheduling conflict. She’ll play a woman in Paul’s cleanse program who slowly warms up to him.
A Bron Studios-Gilbert Films-Alcide Bava Pictures production in association with MASTERSFX, XYZ Films and Creative Wealth Media Finance, “Master Cleanse” is being produced by Jordan Horowitz for Gilbert Films, Aaron L. Gilbert for Bron Studios and Galecki for his Alcide Bava Pictures. Gary Gilbert will executive produce with Todd Masters, Margot Hand and John Raymonds.
MASTERSFX will supply creatures and visual effects for the film, having previously worked on “Elysium” and “RoboCop,” among many others.
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Bron Studios recently wrapped the dark comedy “The Driftless Area,” which stars Zooey Deschanel, Anton Yelchin and John Hawkes, as well as the romantic comedy “Tumbledown,” which stars Jason Sudeikis, Rebecca Hall and Joe Manganiello. Other recent Bron productions include William H. Macy’s directorial debut “Rudderless,” the Kristen Wiig movie “Welcome to Me.”
Gilbert Films has Matthew Weiner’s “Are You Here” hitting theaters next month, the upcoming indie thriller “The Keeping Room,” which Daniel Barber directed from a script by Julia Hart, and Damien Chazelle’s musical “La La Land.” Gilbert and Horowitz were also producers on Lisa Cholodenko’s “The Kids Are All Right.”
Friel will soon be seen alongside James Franco and Kate Hudson in the thriller “Good People.” She previously co-starred in “Land of the Lost,” “Limitless” and Woody Allen‘s “You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger.” She’s represented by UTA, Untitled Entertainment and attorney P.J. Shapiro.
Platt, who can currently be seen in Jon Favreau‘s “Chef,” is filming Dee Rees’ HBO movie “Bessie” with Queen Latifah. He also has Jeremy Renner’s “Kill the Messenger,” Johnny Depp‘s “Mortdecai” and Warren Beatty’s untitled Howard Hughes movie on the horizon. He’s repped by WME and attorney Bill Sobel.