Gabourey Sidibe (Antebellum) has lined up her next role after her “American Horror Story” return; Variety reports that the actress has been set to star in and executive produce Southern gothic psychodrama, Rose Moon.
Sidibe will play the title character, Rose, “a lonely North Carolina probation officer whose affair with a parolee spirals into obsession, placing her career at risk.” It marks her first major dramatic feature lead role since her Oscar-nominated breakout role in 2009’s Precious.
The film is said to explore “loneliness, desire, power, faith, and identity through the lens of a middle-aged Black woman experiencing a late-life sexual awakening.”
Variety notes that Sidibe has been collaborating closely with director Daniel Peddle on the screenplay and development of her character, which is based on a true story.
“Every time there’s a news story about a female corrections officer having a romantic entanglement with an inmate, I always wonder about the woman and what led her to those choices,” Sidibe said in a statement. “Without judgment, I wonder why she would risk her livelihood, her safety, and more than anything, her own freedom. When Daniel told me this story, I immediately understood. It’s not love or even excitement that drives someone toward a dangerous decision like this. It’s loneliness. Soul-crushing, unbearable loneliness.”
While Sidibe is currently keeping busy while production is underway on “American Horror Story,” production on Rose Moon is slated to begin later this year in Georgia.
Rose Moon will be produced by Tyler Stephenson for Coffee Robot, alongside Anton Palmér, Brian Pendleton for Drama Kween Productions, and Wellington Love for w/Love Productions.