EXCLUSIVE: J. Alphonse Nicholson (P-Valley), Myles Bullock (Friday Night: The Million Dollar Heist), and Bechir Sylvain (Jurassic Park: Rebirth) have signed on to star in Artisan, a psychological thriller from Emmy-nominated director Joslyn Rose.
Currently shooting at the Claremont Hotel in California, the film is described as “an examination of mental health told through the intense world of a chef navigating trauma, identity, and artistry in the heat of a high-stakes kitchen.”
The film’s cast also includes Simone Leanora (Jurassic Park: Rebirth), Margo Hall (Blindspotting), and Donald E. Lacy (Colorstruck).
Based on an original story by Vernon Davis (The Ritual Killer), Rose and Dominique Mouton (The Lower Bottoms) co-wrote the feature film script before playwright and author Howard L. Craft (Freight) adapted it.
Davis is producing Artisan under his Reel 85 Productions banner, alongside Mouton’s Dido Belle Productions, Rose, Simone Leanora, and Christina Quin. Executive producers include Davis, Nicholson, and Henry Penzi.
“This story was very personal to me,” said Davis, whose own life has been touched by mental illness through the loss of his brother, sister, and mother. “I wanted to produce a film that humanizes the struggle, that opens a conversation around mental health, and that shows how artistry—whether through food or film—can become a path to healing.”
Rose added: “Artisan is about the light and shadows we all carry. As a director, I was drawn to tell this story because it faces what’s often left unspoken, especially around mental health and how those struggles can shape, and sometimes even fuel, creative brilliance.”
Nicholson is repped by CESD Talent Agency and AC Management. Bullock is repped by Independent Artist Group (IAG). Sylvain is repped by MKS Agency.
