Zoë Kravitz’s MGM Thriller ‘Pussy Island’ Adds ‘Red Rocket’s Simon Rex

Matt Grobar
·2 min read
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EXCLUSIVE: Simon Rex (Red Rocket) will join Channing Tatum and Naomi Ackie in The Batman star Zoë Kravitz’s feature directorial debut, Pussy Island, for MGM.

The film written by Kravitz and E.T. Feigenbaum centers on Frida (Ackie), a young and clever Los Angeles cocktail waitress who has her eyes set on the prize: philanthropist and tech mogul Slater King (Tatum). When she skillfully maneuvers her way into King’s inner circle and ultimately an intimate gathering on his private island, she is ready for a journey of a lifetime. Despite the epic setting, beautiful people, ever-flowing champagne and late-night dance parties, Frida can sense that there’s more to this island than meets the eye. Something she can’t quite put her finger on. Something terrifying. Rex will play Slater’s chef, trainer and oldest friend, Cody.

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Pussy Island is a co-production between This Is Important, Free Association and Bruce Cohen Productions. Atwater Capital helped finance development of the script, with MGM landing global rights to the project last June. Bruce Cohen, Kravitz, Tiffany Persons and Tatum’s Free Association are producing, with Jordan Harkins exec producing, and Garret Levitz overseeing the project for Free Association. The project falls under Free Association’s first-look feature film production deal with MGM, which in February released Tatum and Reid Carolin’s feature directorial debut, Dog.

Rex has found a career resurgence on the back of Sean Baker’s dark comedy Red Rocket, which offered him his first major dramatic role. The A24 pic had him playing Mikey Saber, a washed-up porn star returning to his small Texas hometown—despite the fact that no one wants him back. Pic premiered at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Palme d’Or, with Rex landing an Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead, as well as a Gotham Award nomination for his performance.

Rex was formerly best known for his work in Scary Movie 3, 4 and 5. He’s also been seen in films like Beginner’s Guide to Sex, and series including Comedy Central’s Typical Rick, as well as three from the defunct WB: What I Like About You, Jack & Jill and Felicity.

Other upcoming films in which Rex will feature include Katie Aselton’s dramedy Mack & Rita for Gravitas Ventures’ new theatrical label, Gravitas Premiere; Tony Tost’s crime drama National Anthem, with Sydney Sweeney, Halsey, Zahn McClarnon, Eric Dane and Paul Walter Hauser; RIghtor Doyle’s comedy Down Low, with Lukas Gage, Judith Light and Zachary Quinto; and Old Henry helmer Potsy Ponciroli’s comedy Providence, with Lily James, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tim Blake Nelson, Uzo Aduba and more. Rex is repped by Buchwald and Range Media Partners.

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