Julianne Moore’s Apple & A24 Film ‘Sharper’ Adds Briana Middleton In Lead Role

Anthony D'Alessandro
·2 min read
  • Oops!
    Something went wrong.
    Please try again later.

EXCLUSIVE: Apple Original Films and A24’s con-artist feature Sharper has added Briana Middleton as one of the four leads. Middleton will play Sandra, a young woman who finds herself in over her head when she enters the complex world of con artists.

She joins Oscar winner Julianne Moore, Sebastian Stan and Justice Smith in the cast.

More from Deadline

Sharper follows a con artist (Moore) in the world of Manhattan’s billionaire echelon. The film, directed by Emmy and BAFTA nominee Benjamin Caron, is based on the spec feature screenplay from Brian Gatewood and Alessandro Tanaka, which was recently named to the Black List. Caron also stars in the pic. Moore is producing alongside Bart Freundlich, Gatewood, Tanaka and Erik Feig and Jessica Switch of Picturestart. Julia Hammer of Picturestart will serve as EP.

Middleton was announced as the female lead in the Beauty and the Beast prequel series. She shot her feature film debut in the forthcoming George Clooney-directed adaptation of The Tender Bar, based on the memoir by Pulitzer Prize-winning writer J.R. Moehringer. She’ll play the role of Sidney, a young woman who finds herself to be the “Daisy” to J.R.’s “Gatsby” (Tye Sheridan). Middleton recently completed shooting the lead in The Last Will and Testament of Charles Abernathy. The actress is repped by Gersh and Brillstein Entertainment Partners.

Sharper marks Moore’s second project with Apple following the limited series Lisey’s Story, a deeply personal thriller from creator Stephen King, in which Moore stars and executive produces and is currently streaming globally on Apple TV+.

In addition to Sharper, Apple and A24’s feature film partnership includes the upcoming Joel Coen-directed The Tragedy of Macbeth, starring Oscar winners Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand; On The Rocks, from Academy Award winner Sofia Coppola, and starring Rashida Jones and Bill Murray; the Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize winner Boys State, which also won two Critics Choice Documentary Awards and is up for Outstanding Documentary/Nonfiction Special at this year’s Primetime Emmys and the SXSW Louis Black Lone Star Award; and the upcoming YA adaptation The Sky Is Everywhere, directed by Josephine Decker and starring Grace Kaufman, Cherry Jones and Jason Segel.

Best of Deadline

Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.