Emilia Jones will star in Winner, which Variety describes as a “fresh take on the traditional whistleblower thriller.” Jones will play Reality Winner, a young but brilliant misfit from Texas who finds her morals challenged while serving in the U.S. Air Force and the NSA as a contractor. Eventually, she’ll leak an intelligence report concerning Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election.
“I hope Reality’s story will inspire others to speak up and defend their beliefs, whatever the cost. I’m thrilled to partner with this team of artists and activists to bring this movie to life,” said director Susanna Fogel.
Based on a true story, the film will have Winner arrested for what she has done. Sentenced to five and half years behind bars, Winner received the longest sentence for someone charged under the Espionage Act. And according to Fogel, she’s the perfect heroine for a film about the ideas of personal power, morality, and finding your voice.
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“She’s a true individual: she speaks many languages, she loves her guns, she could destroy you on Twitter, and her obsession with Pikachu is unmatched. Clearly, she’s the perfect mouthpiece for a generation of people who are unique and fed up with feeling powerless. And there is no one more perfect to play her than Emilia Jones, one of the most exciting young actresses working today.”
You might recognize Jones from her work in the Academy Award-winning film Coda, where she plays the sole hearing person in a deaf family of fishermen. You might also know her from Netflix’s Locke & Key, based on the popular comic book series of the same name by Joe Hill. She plays one of three siblings who move to a new house and discover these magical keys that grant them extraordinary abilities.
Several known actors will join Jones in the cast. Such as Connie Britton, whose credits include American Horror Story and Nashville, will play Winner’s mother. Zach Galifianakis, known for his work on The Hangover trilogy, will play Reality’s father, Danny Rameriez, who recently appeared in Top Gun: Maverick, will Winner’s boyfriend. Kathryn Newton, one of the latest actors to join the MCU as a superhero, will play her sister.
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The People Making Winner Behind the Camera
“As a filmmaker, I strive to tell stories that interrogate the world we live in and the systems that are broken in it. But in a fun way.”
Fogel was a screenwriter on Booksmart, starring Beanie Feldstein and Kaitlyn Dever. She also co-wrote the screenplay and directed The Spy Who Dumped Me, which starred Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon. For Winter, Fogel has teamed with scriptwriter Kerry Howley, who wrote the 2017 New York Magazine article that inspired the movie.
ShivHans Pictures and 1Community will co-finance the film. Fogel will produce alongside Shivani Rawat and Julie Goldstein on behalf of ShivHans Pictures, in addition to Scott Budnick and Ameet Shukla on behalf of 1Community. Executive producers on Winner include Dani Melia, Peter Saraf, Daniel Bekerman, Connor Flanagan, and Big Beach Films. Rawat said:
“When we first read this powerful script, we knew we wanted to help tell the story of Reality Winner. I have always been a fan of Susanna Fogel and to work with this caliber of talent to tell a female story is something we strive to do at ShivHans. We are looking forward to working in partnership with our friends at 1Community to bring this story to a wide audience.”
Budnick added:
“Our company’s mission is to find bold new takes on the most pressing issues of our time, and nothing could be more urgent than defending the ideals of democracy. Reality Winner’s story is fascinating, brave and timely. We are thrilled to join our partners ShivHans Pictures and couldn’t be more excited for Susanna Fogel’s fresh and comedic approach in bringing this story to screen.”
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