EXCLUSIVE: D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai (Warfare) has closed a deal to join Fred Hechinger in A Long Winter, the new drama from four-time BAFTA nominee Andrew Haigh (All of Us Strangers).
While still unconfirmed, we’re told that the film sees Louise, the alcoholic mother of Mike (Hechinger) and Tommy, take off after a quarrel with her husband Lester — walking with her dog to the home of her brother Frank, quite a few miles away. When a snowstorm blows up suddenly and socks in the entire area, Lester and Mike begin a search, which is soon expanded with the aid of local neighbors and local law enforcement.
The project has been gestating for some time; we first reached out on it nearly a year ago. Producer credits are still being worked out, but sources said Haigh will direct from his own script, as he has in the past.
Woon-A-Tai broke out with his starring role in the FX dramedy Reservation Dogs, a groundbreaking project for Indigenous representation, which ran for three seasons. For his work on the show, he received an Emmy nomination, as well as a Peabody Award nomination, a nomination at the Independent Spirit Awards, and two at the Critics Choice Awards.
Since the show’s conclusion, the actor has been seen in A24’s Warfare from Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza and, most recently, Darren Aronofsky’s Caught Stealing opposite Austin Butler. Sony released the latter title in August.
Woon-A-Tai is repped by Gersh, The Characters Talent Agency, David Dean Management, and Yorn, Levine, Barnes.