Aman Goyal
Rachel Israel has rounded out the cast of her third feature! Jenny Mollen and Eugene Cordero are set to star in the comedy film ‘Miracle on 74th Street.’ Titled after the iconic east-west street in Manhattan, the movie has begun filming in New York City. Rachel is helming the project with a screenplay by Sean Crespo, Carol Ray Hartsell, and Jill Kargman. Mollen and Cordero will star alongside Kargman, Clara Wong, Nathan Lee Graham, and Judd Goodstein.
The film chronicles the adventures of Dzanielle (Kargman), a renowned influencer, following her humorous attempts to gather one million followers. After dealing with several fake friends among the “Black card-swiping, Ozempic-sharting, workout-addicted Upper East Siders,” in a surprising turn of events, Dzanielle finds something way more valuable — her first real friend and, ultimately — her true self.
Mollen, known for her recurring roles in the television shows ‘Girls‘ and ‘Chicago Fire,’ returns to the former’s setting, replacing Brooklyn with the wealthiest borough in New York City. The actress will play Liz Hittler in the movie. Her recent credits include Jenny in ‘I Like You Just the Way I Am’ and Anne Carter in Lisa Addario and Joe Syracuse’s ‘Amateur Night.’
Cordero, a well-known comedian and actor recognized for his work in ‘Loki,’ ‘The Mandalorian,’ ‘Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,’ and ‘The Good Place,’ will play Yuki in the comedy film. The actor was previously a main cast member of truTV’s procedural series ‘Tacoma FD.’ He has also lent his voice to several characters in Paramount+’s ‘Star Trek: Lower Decks.’
A renowned writer based in the Upper East Side, New York, Kargman told Vogue that she originally created the character Dzanielle for her proposed IFC show, ‘Snobs,’ which was eventually scrapped due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The author, who was also set to portray the character in the series, ultimately impersonated Dzanielle on her Instagram, shedding light on societal divides magnified by the pandemic.
Through Dzanielle and ‘Miracle on 74th Street,’ Kargman intends to satirize the lavish lifestyles of hilariously spoiled rich moms she used to encounter in her childhood, especially by embodying them with a humorous persona and exaggerated luxury of the elites. She also aims to address the absurd aspects of such privileged behaviors, which range from extravagant parties for bragging purposes to exclusive secret salons for gossiping.
Rachel made her feature directorial debut with the adaptation of her short film ‘Keep the Change.’ The filmmaker’s second feature, ‘The Floaters,’ is currently in the post-production phase and will likely be released later this year. S.J. Allocco, Steve Ast, Arielle Haller-Silverstone, and Mandy Ward produce ‘Miracle on 74th Street’ under the Akward Productions banner.
The movie’s filming in New York City adds to its authenticity, especially since the setting is all but guaranteed to play a significant role in the narrative. The production will join Emma Stone and Yorgos Lanthimos’ remake of ‘Save the Green Planet!’ and the fourth season of ‘The Morning Show‘ as soon as these projects start shooting in the region next month.
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