Relative newcomer Grace Kaufman, previously seen in the TV series Man With a Plan and The Last Ship, will play the lead role in new Apple Originals movie The Sky Is Everywhere.
The adaptation of the Jandy Nelson YA (young adult) novel tells the story of an American high school girl mourning the death of her sister. She becomes romantically involved with both her late sister’s fiancé and another young man who is new to town.
Apple snapped up the rights to The Sky Is Everywhere in October 2019. It has teamed up with indie film studio A24 for the adaptation, being directed by Josephine Decker.
Casting a relative unknown in the lead role is something a bit different for Apple. So far, most of its Originals have featured star-studded casts headed up with A-list performers. Going with a newcomer is certainly no knock against Apple or Kaufman. If anything, it’s great to see Apple and A24’s confidence in letting the material speak for itself — and not feeling the need to squeeze in a “name” in the marquee role in order to sell the project. (Selena Gomez had previously expressed her desire to play the lead role.)
This is part of Apple’s deal with A24. The two companies are also collaborating on the forthcoming Sofia Coppola movie On the Rocks, starring Bill Murray and Rashida Jones. A release date has yet to be announced for that project.
Apple TV+ launched in November. However, it is only this year that has started serving as a platform for original movies. These include the likes of the Samuel L. Jackson movie The Banker and Tom Hanks’ Greyhound. So far, Apple TV+ is still a bit-player when it comes to garnering viewers. Still, a popular adaptation of a hit YA novel would certainly be a step in the right direction.
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Source: Deadline
