Slated to hit theaters later this month, Rebecca Hall’s “Passing” sees Tessa Thompson sharing the screen with Ruth Negga in a period drama about old friends who reunite as adults. She’s set to take a solo outing in “The Listener,” a contained film that “features only one on-screen role.” Deadline confirmed that production just wrapped on the feature.
“The Listener” “tells the story of Beth (Thompson), a helpline volunteer who is part of the small army that gets on the phone every night across America, fielding calls from all kinds of people feeling lonely, broken, hopeless, and worried. Over the last year, the tide has become a tsunami, and as Beth goes through her shift, the stakes rise: is this the night she will lose someone? Save someone? Put a mind at ease? Make someone smile? Eventually, Beth’s own story comes to light, revealing why she does it,” the source teases. “All along we remain with her: listening, comforting, connecting – patching the world back together, one stitch at a time.”
“Passing” premiered at Sundance in January, where it was acquired by Netflix for $15 million. An adaptation of Nella Larsen’s 1929 novel, Hall’s directorial debut follows two Black women who are able to “pass” as white — one of whom has chosen to live as white, and is married to a racist white man. The awards contender hits select theaters October 27 and launches on Netflix November 10.
Thompson landed an Emmy nod this year in the Outstanding Television Movie category for “Sylvie’s Love,” a romance that she exec produced and starred in. Her upcoming slate includes “Thor: Love and Thunder” and “Creed III.” “Annihilation,” “Westworld,” and “Dear White People” are among her previous credits.
