Home / Arts and Entertainment / Dakota Johnson to Direct Autism Drama 'A Tree Is Blue' with Charli XCX and Jessica Alba
Dakota Johnson to Direct Autism Drama 'A Tree Is Blue' with Charli XCX and Jessica Alba
21 Oct
Summary
- Dakota Johnson to make directorial debut on drama 'A Tree Is Blue'
- Vanessa Burghardt, Charli XCX, and Jessica Alba in negotiations to star
- Burghardt, who is autistic, wrote the script about a young woman on the autism spectrum
In a major career move, actress Dakota Johnson is set to make her feature directorial debut with the drama 'A Tree Is Blue'. The film, which has a budget under $10 million, has qualified for a $2.4 million California tax credit and is scheduled to begin principal photography in November in Los Angeles.
Vanessa Burghardt, who co-starred with Johnson in the 2022 film 'Cha Cha Real Smooth', is in negotiations to take on the lead role. Burghardt, who is autistic, has also written the script, which tells the story of a young woman on the autism spectrum who breaks free from her overprotective mother in search of freedom, friendship, and a little chaos in the summer after high school graduation.
Pop star Charli XCX and actress Jessica Alba are also in talks to join the cast of the film, which will be financed by Rivulet Entertainment. Johnson, along with Ro Donnelly and Sam Racanelli, will produce the project through their company TeaTime Pictures, while Rob Paris and Mike Witherill will produce for Rivulet.
This marks the latest acting project for Charli XCX, who has been steadily building up her filmography in recent years with roles in A24's 'The Moment', the cult horror 'Faces of Death', and the erotic thriller 'I Want Your Sex'. For Alba, the film represents a return to the big screen after a hiatus, with her last major role being in the 2005 neo-noir 'Sin City'.
