Frank Ocean‘s directorial film debut is reportedly has a lead actor attached and is in production.
Varietyreported on Thursday (January 30) that David Jonnson, recently seen in Alien:Romulus, will be starring in the movie, which is being shot in Mexico City.
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Other sources including The Film Stage report that the film is called Philly, that Ocean wrote the screenplay in addition to directing, and that it has actually been in production since December (or even October, according to a different report).
Ocean’s movie has been the subject of rumors for years, with reports back in mid-2022 that he was in talks with A24 about the project.
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At that point, per DiscussingFilm, the movie was rumored to potentially begin filming within months, with New Mexico being eyed as a possible location and production said to even be wrapping up before 2023 began — a timeline that obviously didn’t pan out. Ocean was said at the time to be working with production company 2AM.
In other news about the enigmatic singer, SZA had to recently shut down a rumor that a contribution from him was removed from her latest album Lana.
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Following its slightly delayed release, an X account going by the handle of @blondedhomer began spreading an unsubstantiated rumor that Ocean had recorded material for the project.
They wrote: “Frank Ocean’s verse on SZA’s new album Lana (SOS deluxe) was removed at the last minute.”
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The post caught the attention of the TDE songstress, who angrily replied: “Lmao now why would you even make this up?? Ur insane… it never existed… and don’t ever play on Frank’s name like that EVAAAA.”
SZA has previously acknowledged the influence that Frank Ocean has had on her music.
In a recent Harper’s Bazaar interview with Kendrick Lamar, she admitted that she pretends to be the elusive R&B singer in the studio.
“When I’m in the studio, it hurts too much sometimes. Maybe that’s why I tap in and pretend to be other people,” she said. “That’s why I’m pretending to be you [Kendrick] or pretending to be Frank [Ocean] or pretending to be Future because it’s easy.
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“It’s easier to be me through their eyes than it is to sit with some of the really harsh things that I say about myself to myself.”
