Alicia Silverstone & Karl Glusman To Topline ‘The Bird And The Bee’, Erotic Thriller From Yale Productions, Made Under Interim Agreement

Matt Grobar
·3 min read
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EXCLUSIVE: Reptile co-stars Alicia Silverstone and Karl Glusman have been set to lead The Bird and the Bee, a sexually charged thriller that marks Justin Kelly’s third film for Yale Productions, on the heels of Welcome the Stranger and gay porn world-set crime drama King Cobra.

Written by Atlantis actor Jack Donnelly, the film was shot under a SAG-AFTRA Interim Agreement and wrapped production this week. Pic follows a successful executive (Silverstone) as she fights back a scorned younger lover (Glusman) who takes his obsession too far.

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Producers included Jordan Yale Levine (Becky, Bandit), Jordan Beckerman (Separation, Becky), and Jesse Korman (Separation, The Kill Room) of Yale Productions, as well as Scott Levenson (King Cobra, G.B.F.) and Lexi Tannenholtz (Bad Things, Chestnut). Exec producers included Jason Kringstein, John Wollman, Michael J. Rothstein, Jeffrey Tussi, Jeremy Rothstein, and Jodie Lazar, as well as Brian Unger, Gigi Lacks, Julie Foss, Andy Rich, Eric Broughton, John McMullan, Nicholas Donnermeyer, Robert V. Levine, Cavallino Entertainment, and Will Hirschfeld. Joey Montenarello handled casting.

In a statement to Deadline, Kelly described The Bird and the Bee as “a unique take on a twisted romance that I’m thrilled to bring to life because it’s not only a great story but also an exciting departure from my previous films.” While reading Donnelly’s “brilliant” script, he said, “I immediately pictured the look and vibe of the many great 80s and 90s erotic thrillers—stylish, moody, and sexy.”

Continued the director, “I’m honored to work with the iconic Alicia Silverstone for the second time (after KING COBRA) as well as the uber-talented Karl Glusman— their on-screen chemistry is electric. A big thank you to Yale Productions for our third collaboration together, SAG for blessing us with an interim agreement, and my incredible cast and crew. I cannot wait to share this film with the world.”

Added producers Levine and Beckerman, “We are thrilled to be working with Justin on a third film. His presence is always a sure sign of an artistic and thought-provoking story with a depth to every shot that has become a signature of his work.”

Best known for roles in films like Clueless and Batman & Robin, Silverstone can currently be seen starring opposite Justin Timberlake and Benicio Del Toro in the atmospheric crime thriller Reptile, which debuted on Netflix September 29th after world premiering at TIFF. Among other upcoming projects for the actress is the A24 disaster comedy Y2K, marking the directorial debut of SNL‘s Kyle Mooney.

Glusman broke out as the star of the explicit Gaspar Noé pic Love, before going on to roles in such acclaimed films as The Neon Demon, Nocturnal Animals, and Watcher, and on series like FX’s Devs. He was also part of the cast of Netflix’s Reptile, features in the A-list ensemble of Jeff Nichols’ 20th drama The Bikeriders, and will also soon be seen in the A24 actioner Civil War from his Devs collaborator Alex Garland.

Kelly is a writer, director and producer who, in addition to Welcome the Stranger and King Cobra, is known for helming Universal’s J.T. Leroy, starring Kristen Stewart as the author, and the starry Sundance-premiering romantic drama I Am Michael.

Among other upcoming titles from Yale is the crime pic Barron’s Cove starring Garrett Hedlund and Stephen Lang; detective mystery The Last Girl starring Alice Eve and Antonio Banderas; Italy-set potboiler Electra starring Maria Bakalova; espionage thriller Fog of War with John Cusack; and the recent SXSW prize-winner Parachute, marking the feature directorial debut of Brittany Snow.

Silverstone is repped by UTA, Untitled Entertainment, and Gang, Tyre, Ramer; Glusman by Paradigm, Ilene Feldman Management, and Ziffren Brittenham; Kelly by Black Bear Management and Lichter, Grossman, Nichols; and Donnelly by Untitled Entertainment and Ziffren Brittenham.

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