Lionsgate And BuzzFeed Studios Announce LGBTQ Romantic Comedy “My Fake Boyfriend”

NEW YORK, NY – July 29, 2021 – Global content leader Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) and BuzzFeed, the leading independent digital media company, today announced the feature film My Fake Boyfriend, a queer romantic comedy, will be the second production in the companies’ partnership to develop and distribute culturally relevant feature films. The announcement was made by Richard Alan Reid, SVP of Global Content & Head of Studio at BuzzFeed, and Lauren Bixby, Vice President, Co-Productions & Acquisitions for Lionsgate.

My Fake Boyfriend stars Keiynan Lonsdale (Love Simon, The Flash, Divergent Series), Dylan Sprouse (After We Collided), and Sarah Hyland (Modern Family, Vampire Academy, Geek Charming). In the film, a young man in a tricky situation (Keiynan Lonsdale) follows the advice of his unconventional best friend (Dylan Sprouse) and uses social media to create a fake boyfriend to keep his awful ex-lover out of his life. But everything backfires when he meets the real love of his life, and breaking up with his fake boyfriend proves hard to do.

My Fake Boyfriend will be directed by Rose Troche (The Safety of Objects, The L Word, Shameless, Vida, Black Lightening, Snowpiercer), a queer Latina writer and director and pioneer in LGBTQ cinema.

My Fake Boyfriend is an inclusive, contemporary story that aims to elevate underrepresented voices and tap into BuzzFeed’s highly engaged, LGBTQ audience around the world. According to Global Web Index, BuzzFeed reaches 10.8 million users monthly who identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual (2020).

Bixby said, “My Fake Boyfriend has the heart, laughs, and talent behind the scenes and in front of the camera that make this film a genuine win. We couldn't be more thrilled to be partnering with our friends at BuzzFeed on this fun romantic comedy."

“My Fake Boyfriend is a fresh comedy with universal appeal, led by an exciting, diverse cast of talent,” said Reid. “There is no better person to tell this queer love story than Rose Troche, and we’re delighted to partner with Lionsgate to share this story with millennial and Gen Z audiences around the world.”

The film is set to begin production in July 2021 in Ontario, Canada. BuzzFeed and Lionsgate are expecting to release the film for Pride in June 2022. This is the second feature film to enter production under the BuzzFeed and Lionsgate partnership, following 1UP, the highly anticipated gaming comedy centered on the competitive world of esports.

The film is written by Luke Albright, Joe Wanjai Ross and Greg Boaldin. BuzzFeed’s Richard Alan Reid is producing along with Jason Moring and Michael Philip.

About Lionsgate

Combining the STARZ premium global subscription platform with world-class motion picture and television studio operations, Lionsgate (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) brings a unique and varied portfolio of entertainment to consumers around the world. Its film, television, subscription and location-based entertainment businesses are backed by a 17,000-title library and the largest collection of film and television franchises in the independent media space. A digital age company driven by its entrepreneurial culture and commitment to innovation, the Lionsgate brand is synonymous with bold, original, relatable entertainment for the audiences it serves worldwide.

About BuzzFeed

BuzzFeed is the world's leading tech-powered, diversified media company that reaches hundreds of millions of people globally through its cross-platform news and entertainment network. The company produces articles, lists, quizzes, videos, and original series; lifestyle content through brands including Tasty, the world’s largest social food network; original reporting and investigative journalism through BuzzFeed News and HuffPost; an industry-leading affiliate business, strategic partnerships, licensing and product development through BuzzFeed Commerce; and original productions across broadcast, cable, SVOD, film and digital platforms for BuzzFeed Studios.

###

Press Contacts

Juliana Clifton, BuzzFeed / juliana.clifton@buzzfeed.com

Ronnie Brumant, BuzzFeed / ronnie.brumant@buzzfeed.com