The “Booksmart” breakout and recent “Funny Girl” lead Beanie Feldstein announced her next project, starring in Ethan Coen’s yet-untitled solo directorial debut. The film also stars Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan, and will be produced by Working Title and Focus Features.
The project marks Coen’s first time directing sans brother Joel Coen, with the duo having been nominated four times for Best Picture at the Academy Awards and winning Best Directing for “No Country for Old Men,” which also took home Best Picture for 2007.
The Coen Brothers additionally won Best Original Screenplay for “Fargo” and Best Adapted Screenplay for “No Country for Old Men.”
Coen’s upcoming film starring Feldstein is co-written with his wife, Tricia Cooke. The couple are also producing with Robert Graf and Working Title’s Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner.
Feldstein, whose credits include “American Crime Story: Impeachment,” “Ladybird,” and “How to Build a Girl,” bowed out of Broadway’s “Funny Girl” after the production “went in a different direction.” Feldstein’s final performance was August 1, with “Glee” alum Lea Michele taking over the role starting September 6.
“Playing Fanny Brice on Broadway has been a lifelong dream of mine, and doing so for the last few months has been a great joy and true honor,” Feldstein wrote in an Instagram statement. “Once the production decided to take the show in a different direction, I made the extremely difficult decision to step away sooner than anticipated. I will never forget this experience and from the bottom of my heart. I want to thank every single person who came to the August Wilson for the love and support you have shown me and our amazing cast and crew.”
Former “Spring Awakening” star Michele denied there was any bad blood between her and Feldstein as she started playing Fanny Brice in the Broadway production.
In addition to the untitled Coen film, Feldstein is set to star in Richard Linklater’s “Merrily We Roll Along” with Ben Platt and Blake Jenner.
Related Post: Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan will star in Ethan Coen’s first solo-directed untitled new film.
