Actual Nobodies lands distributor ahead of 2027 U.S. release
Scatena & Rosner Films picked up Alex Wyse’s LGBTQ indie dramedy at Cannes Market, with Didi Conn and Austin P. McKenzie starring.
By Poppy Nakagawa · Culture Writer
3 min read
Alex Wyse’s LGBTQ indie dramedy Actual Nobodies has found its route to theaters, with Scatena & Rosner Films acquiring distribution rights for North America, Australia and New Zealand, Variety reported.
The company bought the film out of this year’s Cannes Market, according to Variety. A U.S. release is planned for early 2027.
Germany-based Media Luna New Films has taken rights for all other territories, setting up the film for international sales outside the Scatena & Rosner deal.
Wyse wrote and directed the movie, which marks his first solo feature as director. He previously co-directed Summoning Sylvia, a horror-comedy that received a GLAAD Media Award nomination and won an ARTIOS Award.
The new film stars Didi Conn, known for Grease and Best Medicine, and Austin P. McKenzie, whose credits include When We Rise and Speech & Debate.
A room rental, two outsiders and an unlikely bond
According to the film’s described premise, Actual Nobodies follows Joyce, played by Conn, a free-spirited woman in her seventies who rents out a spare room to Anthony, played by McKenzie, a young gay man trying to be alone. Their living arrangement leads to an unexpected connection.
The ensemble cast also includes Greta Quispe, Paul Lieber, Will Chase, Jason Veasey, Olli Haaskivi and David T. Patterson. Their listed credits span American Fiction, New Amsterdam, Alias, Barney Miller, Stranger Things, Dopesick, Only Murders in the Building, Oppenheimer, The Gilded Age and Blue Bloods.
In a statement reported by Variety, Wyse described the film as a story about people who feel unseen and the surprising ways they find each other. He said making the film with its cast and crew was personal, and that Scatena & Rosner were a strong match because of their interest in filmmaker-led, emotionally driven work.
Scatena & Rosner Films’ Gato Scatena and Jordan Rosner said in a joint statement that Wyse’s voice mixes comedy and feeling with precision. They said the company is interested in theatrical-minded independent films and believes Actual Nobodies can connect with audiences because of its emotional pull.
Media Luna New Films’ Ida Martin said the company sees international value in films built on emotional sincerity, and called Actual Nobodies a warm film with themes she expects buyers and audiences outside the U.S. to understand.
Who made the film
Cody Lassen produced through Alder Street Productions, alongside Trey Tetreault and Wyse. Neil Gooding Productions and Second Set Productions are co-producers, with Rayshaun Sandlin and Pam Moriarty serving as associate producers.
The film’s crew includes Al Bouchillon as cinematographer, Sara Corrigan as editor, Max Mueller as composer, Nadia Durham as costume designer and Rachel Aileen Abraham as production designer. Variety reported that the movie was filmed on location in New Jersey.
Lassen and Wyse previously worked together on Summoning Sylvia. According to Variety, that film received a theatrical release, was acquired by Starz and currently has a 100% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes.
This story draws on original reporting from Variety.