Tessa Thompson and Michael Shannon
Variety has the exclusive on Tessa Thompson and Michael Shannon joining Last Meals, a drama coming from Oscar-nominated writer-director Ramin Bahrani, whose films include The White Tiger and 99 Homes. Last Meals stars Mads Mikkelsen as a chef who goes from making meals at the White House to preparing food for death row inmates at a prison.
According to the publication, Thompson will be playing an ambitious local food critic named Hannah, who becomes drawn into the story of Mikkelsen’s character. Meanwhile, Shannon is set to play Governor George Callahan, “a consequential figure in the political and clemency battle at the film’s center.” Per Variety, “Together, Walter, Reed and Hannah embark on a journey of guilt, reconciliation and justice. As their efforts capture national attention amid a heated presidential campaign and place Reed’s plight in the spotlight, Walter faces a life-defining choice: pursue a second chance at career glory or risk everything to fight for something that truly matters.”
Producer Renée Tab stated, “We are thrilled to welcome Tessa Thompson and Michael Shannon to Last Meals, joining Mads Mikkelsen and Boyd Holbrook in this extraordinary ensemble. It is an honor to work with artists of this caliber and to bring Ramin Bahrani’s vision of Justin Piasecki’s Academy Nicholl Award-winning screenplay to the screen.”
Last Meals
Per Variety, Last Meals will have Mikkelsen playing “Walter Karat, a former White House Chef whose fall from grace lands him in the kitchen of a maximum security prison cooking for death row inmates. But his carefully controlled existence is disrupted by Reed (Holbrook), an inmate who refuses both food and the time Walter attempts to give him. As Walter confronts Reed, an unexpected and deeper connection develops between the two men, and Walter begins to believe Reed may be innocent. Their growing bond drives Walter to uncover the truth.”
The film will be produced by Emmy, Golden Globe and PGA Award-nominated Renée Tab, whose resume includes Dead Ringers, Feud: Bette and Joan and Sound of Freedom for Sentient Entertainment. Tab will also be serving as an executive producer on another upcoming film of Bahrani’s, titled Vegas: A Love Story, which is currently in post-production.
Shannon and director Bahrani recently collaborated on acclaimed projects like 99 Homes and HBO’s Fahrenheit 451. Shannon will also be starring in his upcoming Vegas: A Love Story.
