Ry Russo-Young is set to adapt another YA novel. The Hollywood Reporter confirms that she’ll follow up “Before I Fall,” released last year, with “The Sun Is Also A Star,” a star-crossed romance with an immigration angle. “Grown-ish” actress Yara Shahidi is signed on to star in the MGM and Warner Bros. pic.
Based on Nicola Yoon’s 2016 best-seller, “The Sun Is Also A Star” sees Shahidi playing Natasha, an NYC-based teen trying to keep her family from being deported back to Jamaica when she falls in love. “Girls Trip” co-writer Tracy Oliver penned the script.
The film is set to hit theaters May 17, 2019.
Russo-Young most recently directed eps of Netflix high school dramedy “Everything Sucks!” An adaptation of Lauren Oliver’s book of the same name, 2017’s “Before I Fall” stars Zoey Deutch (“Why Him?”) as a teen forced to relive the last day of her life over and over again. Russo-Young’s other features include “Nobody Walks,” “You Won’t Miss Me,” and “Orphans.”
“Growing up, I never saw female directors depicted on screen,” Russo-Young has said. “Then I remembered when I was older seeing ‘The Gleaners and I,’ a documentary [director Agnès Varda] is also featured in. It meant a lot because she was just … so much of herself. Seeing a model of another female director at work was inspiring.”
“I’m the luckiest author alive and I couldn’t be happier about the way this project is coming together,” commented Yoon. “I’m a big fan of Ry Russo-Young’s work, especially ‘Before I Fall’ and ‘Nobody Walks.’ She’s incredibly perceptive and smart. Her passion for this project is infectious and inspiring. I’m also thrilled for the perspective she brings as a female director. And then there’s Yara Shahidi! Having her play Natasha is an absolute dream choice for me! Yara’s such an incredibly talented and generous actress. She imbues her roles with warmth and intelligence and humor.”
“The Sun Is Also a Star” is Yoon’s second novel. Her first, “Everything, Everything,” was also adapted for the big screen and directed by a woman. Amandla Stenberg (“The Hunger Games”) toplined Stella Meghie’s 2017 drama about teen with a rare disease that causes her to be allergic to almost everything. The pic grossed over $61 million on a budget of $10 million.
