In Dan Kay’s Spider & Jessie, Emmy-nominated actress Mckenna Grace plays the lead role. Jesse Williams, a Tony nominee, Jojo Regina, Dacre Montgomery from Stranger Things, Forrest Goodluck from Cherry, Fernanda Andrade from Moon Knight, and Malia Baker also appear in the film (The Baby-Sitters Club). Spider is portrayed on screen by Grace, and Jessie, by Regina. Executive producers will also be Grace and Williams.
The film centres on two tenacious sisters who, upon learning that their mother had overdosed and died, are worried that an overworked foster care system may separate them. They cover the body as a result. The girls must choose how far they are ready to go to keep their secret hidden as the neighbourhood police chief, mom’s addiction counsellor, and her angry ex-boyfriend move closer to finding out the truth.
Kay is the director and co-wrote the script with Julia Keller. Production and co-financing are being handled by Hungry Bull Productions, which is led by Above the Clouds actors Jeff Hoffman (Lansky) and Joseph Restaino (Pig). In Florida, production has already begun.
Grace expressed her gratitude for being a part of this significant narrative of addiction and how it affects both the addict and others around them. I was aware of the prevalence of drug usage and addiction, but after working on this movie, I have a better grasp of how serious the issue is. It’s distressing to hear the experiences of so many of our own actors and staff. Making a film is more than just making a film; it is about creating and being a part of something bigger than ourselves.”
“I am honoured to join this wonderful production team and cast lead by Dan Kay’s words and directing,” Williams said. By shedding light on the common human factors that lead to and from addiction, we can explore our compassion for those affected now as well as those pathologized in our recent past.”
Grace was the youngest nominee ever in that category when she got a Guest Actress Drama Series Emmy nomination for The Handmaid’s Tale last year. She was a leading lady in Ghostbusters: Afterlife, a $204 million smash for Sony. She will soon appear in the true-crime limited series A Friend of the Family on television alongside Anna Paquin and Jake Lacy. Grace co-wrote and served as executive producer of the Lifetime television movie The Bad Seed Returns, which debuted earlier this month. Other significant movie performances include playing a teenage Carol Danvers in the Oscar-winning I, Tonya and the $1.1 billion-grossing Captain Marvel alongside Chris Evans and Octavia Spencer. She also starred opposite Viola Davis in Amazon’s Troop Zero and opposite Chris Evans and Octavia Spencer in Gifted.
Williams made his Broadway debut in the Tony-winning production of Take Me Out, which garnered him a nomination. He will next be seen in Netflix’s Your Place or Mine, starring Reese Witherspoon, and on Broadway for the show’s recently extended run. He played Dr. Jackson Avery on the ABC popular series Grey’s Anatomy for 12 seasons. He has also acted in movies and television shows like The Cabin in the Woods, Little Fires Everywhere, Brooklyn’s Finest, and the action/comedy Secret Headquarters starring Owen Wilson.