Richard Gere and Diana Silvers Lead Cast in Edward Zwick’s Adaptation of ‘Asymmetry’; FilmNation Prepares for Cannes Market
Richard Gere and Diana Silvers to Star in Edward Zwick’s ‘Asymmetry’
Richard Gere and Diana Silvers have been officially cast in the romantic drama Asymmetry, directed by Oscar winner Edward Zwick. The film is based on Lisa Halliday’s acclaimed 2018 novel of the same name.
Halliday collaborated with Zwick and Marshall Herskovitz on the screenplay. Both Zwick and Herskovitz, of the Bedford Falls Company, are producing the project alongside Clay Pecorin from Rainmaker Films and FilmNation Entertainment, which will co-finance the film.
FilmNation plans to launch international sales at the upcoming Cannes market and will co-represent domestic rights with CAA Media Finance Group.
The story centers around Alice, played by Silvers, a young editorial assistant in New York City, who encounters Ezra, a 70-year-old world-renowned author portrayed by Gere, in Central Park. Their brief eye contact sparks a profound connection, leading them into a transformative relationship. As they create a private world for themselves, Ezra discovers a space for vulnerability, while Alice gains the courage to pursue her own writing aspirations. However, their secret relationship faces upheaval when it is revealed to the public.
The New Yorker described Halliday’s novel as “a literary phenomenon,” and the New York Times recognized it as one of “15 remarkable books by women that are shaping the way we read and write fiction in the 21st century.” The book was also featured in Barack Obama’s list of best reads from 2018.
Reflecting on the adaptation process, Halliday stated, “It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work with Ed and Marshall on transposing Alice and Ezra’s story for the screen. I am enormously grateful to them for their humor, ingenuity, courage, compassion and dedication.”
Zwick, known for his Oscar-winning work on Shakespeare In Love and directorial roles in films such as Legends of the Fall and Blood Diamond, expressed his fondness for the original book, commenting, “Like so many others, I was charmed by Lisa’s book, not just because it’s emotional, insightful, and very funny, but because it’s about two people who discover that what the world calls asymmetry can in fact have another name: love.”
Stacey Snider, Chief Creative Officer at FilmNation Entertainment, and Clay Pecorin, co-founder of Rainmaker Films, remarked that Asymmetry presents an unconventional love story, exploring the relationship dynamics between two individuals at different life stages. They emphasized how it challenges societal preconceptions about love and power.
Zwick is represented by CAA and Yorn, Levine, while Gere is represented by WME and Hirsch Wallerstein. Silvers is represented by WME, Entertainment 360, and Jackoway Austen.
