EXCLUSIVE: Primetime Emmy nominee Michaela Jaé Rodriguez is set for Wildfire. The Chaya Doswell penned screenplay, which recently made the Black List, follows 7-year-old Lu, who accidentally starts a wildfire. A mute from an abusive home, Lu slyly tricks Merribelle, a hardworking trans woman, into kidnapping her — sparking a beautifully unexpected bond with a devastating expiration date. Deadline first reported about the project when Oscar- and Emmy-nominated producer David Permut and Dawn Krantz acquired the script.
Rodriguez, was Emmy nominated for Lead Actress Drama last year at the Emmys, is also presenting at the Golden Globes tonight.
In addition 5x Emmy nominated and Grammy award winning producer, artist, author, manager and TV personality Randy Jackson (American Idol) is coming aboard to produce the movie with Permut and Krantz.
“I’m so excited to be working with Michaela on this amazing project. Michaela is one of the super stars of now and the future. She’s Immensely talented,” Jackson tells Deadline.
Rodriguez played “Blanca” on Ryan Murphy’s Pose. She will begin filming the second season of Apple’s comedy, Loot, opposite Maya Rudolph, at the end of this month. Last year, she became the first trans actor/actress to win a lead category award in the history of the Golden Globes with Best TV Actress Drama for Pose. Rodriguez is also set to voice the character of “Nightbird” in this summer’s Transformers: Rise of the Beasts.
She is represented by 111 Media and UTA.
Doswell is a screenwriter and playwright from New York City. Her most recent film was an adaptation of her play Everyone I Love is Dead with Braid director Mitzi Peirone. Doswell is currently writing the fantasy adventure Carlos Luckybo with two-time Oscar winner Rick Carter (Avatar, Lincoln).
Permut is currently producing Taylor Sheridan’s new series Bass Reeves starring David Oyelowo, and Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris’ next film The Invite for FilmNation. In addition he has the upcoming Being Heumann for Apple written and directed by Oscar winner Siân Heder; and the sequel to his film Face/Off at Paramount.
Krantz is a veteran film producer and the founder of Auroravista Entertainment (Man Down starring Shia LaBeouf and Gary Oldman, Doonby starring John Schneider and Ernie Hudson). She is also currently producing Keeper of the Cup, directed by Jason Priestley and starring Mena Massoud, Dan Aykroyd and Abigail Breslin.
