Harsh Vardhan
Melissa Leo has landed her first lead role in a few years! The Academy Award winner will star in Suzi Yoonessi’s drama film ‘Mother Wolf.’ The project’s shooting will occur between August 1 and August 31 in Ulster County, New York. Yoonessi wrote the feature with Spencer Crossland. The plot revolves around a retired teacher who takes on the responsibility of caring for her grandchildren and discovers the lengths to which she will go for the love of her family.
The narrative will feature a wide range of characters: Nell, an elementary school head in her 50s-60s, is strict but can be persuaded by Babs (Leo). Rudy, an enthusiastic admin-in-training, is now teaching at the summer camp and keeps Babs updated on Kira and Snowy. Dr. Nasrin Davani, a discreet ER doctor in her mid-40s, treats Kira’s broken arm and Snowy’s bee sting and gently confronts the woman about Snowy’s bruises.
More characters include Mrs. Jorgenson, a protocol-driven social worker in her 50s from Child Protective Services who takes Kira and Snowy into custody after Babs is reported for her OnlyFans profile. Janet, a well-meaning but naïve woman in her late 50s-60s, is part of Babs’ book club. Jess, a pregnant woman in her 20s, seeks parenting advice from Babs. Jared, also in his 20s, attends Babs’ retirement party to thank her for her support and introduce her to his wife.
Leo’s recent roles include Detective Carlsen in ‘The Knife,’ a film that centers on a disruptive event that unravels a family’s dynamics and challenges their illusions. She also reprised her role as Susan Plummer in ‘The Equalizer 3.’ Leo portrayed Principal Rhodes in the thriller ‘Jane,’ which revolves around Olivia, a young woman grappling with deferred dreams and debilitating panic attacks. The actress also appeared as Lillian in ‘Measure of Revenge’ and played the titular character Ida in the Western ‘Ida Red,’ in which the protagonist, dealing with a terminal illness in prison, enlists her son Wyatt for a final job and a shot at freedom.
Recently, Yoonessi directed episodes of several TV shows, including ‘Insatiable,’ ‘The Dead Girls Detective Agency,’ and ‘Really It’s Rita.’ Her last film project was ‘Daphne & Velma,’ focusing on the early adventures of the future female members of Mystery Inc. as they investigate mysterious occurrences at their school. Prior to that, she directed the musical drama ‘Unlovable.’
Ulster County in the state of New York has hosted the filming of productions like ‘Save Yourselves!’ and ‘Swallow‘ in the past.
Read More: Liza Weil and Douglas Smith’s ‘Lunar Sway’ Begins Filming in Kamloops in August
