Emma Thompson to star in Katy Brand's film
- Good Luck To You, Leo Grande is a film about a widow who hires a sex worker in his early twenties
- Emma Thompson will take on the lead role of Nancy Stokes, a retired teacher who wants a "night of bliss"
- The script, which goes into production in 2021, has been written by Katy Brand
Emma Thompson will star in a film written by Katy Brand about a woman who hires a sex worker.
Good Luck To You, Leo Grande will be filmed in London in early 2021.
Thompson will star as Nancy Stokes, a widow who "desires some fresh adventure and good sex". The producers explain: "In order to achieve this, she hires the services of Leo Grande, a sex worker in his early twenties, for a night of bliss."
The film is further described as being about "a 55-year-old widow yearning for some adventure, human connection and good sex, which she was robbed of in her stable but stale marriage. To make things right, the ex-teacher devises a plan and hires the services of Leo Grande, a sex worker - or 'sex therapist', as he puts it - in his early 20s for a night of bliss."
The film will be overseen by Australian director Sophie Hyde, whose film Animals debuted at the Sundance Films Festival in 2019.
Debbie Gray is the producer, for Genesius Pictures. The company previously made Jo Brand's 2018 film The More You Ignore Me.
Good Luck To You, Leo Grande is Katy Brand's first film. She tweeted: "I am very happy/excited/amazed this is actually happening!"
Alison Thompson and Mark Gooder from Cornerstone Films comment: "We loved the bold, fresh and surprising take on female sexuality in Katy's script and to have an actress of Emma's calibre in the role of Nancy is a real gift."
Speaking to Variety, Sophie Hyde said: "I'm thrilled to be working with the tremendously funny and heartbreakingly honest Emma Thompson to explore intimacy and desire, and to put on screen a relationship that feels unexpected and delightful. At a time when our need for each other is so vividly present, it will be a delight to create and show this connection between two people, which is funny, sexy and moving."
Debbie Gray added: "I loved the script from the first read: funny, relatable, relevant. It's great to have a female-strong team with such a passion for the project."