Hot on the heels of winning her first Oscar, The Holdovers star Da'Vine Joy Randolph has found her next role.
Da'Vine Joy Randolph's next role
Deadline is reporting that Randolph is in talks for a role in a new film for Universal. This film, which will be directed by Michel Gondry (Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind), will be led by Kelvin Harrison Jr. Martin Hynes and Steven Levenson wrote the script together.
Pharrell Williams will produce the film alongside Mimi Valdés. The untitled film reportedly is a coming-of-age musical that is set in Virginia Beach in 1977. Its story draws from Williams' childhood.
Early in his career, Kelvin Harrison Jr. landed roles in Ender's Game and 12 Years a Slave. His breakthrough would come a few years later when he starred in It Comes at Night, Luce, and Waves. From there, Harrison starred in the likes of The High Note, The Trail of the Chicago 7, Cyrano, Elvis, and Chevalier.
Who is Da'Vine Joy Randolph?
Da'Vine Joy Randolph is an Oscar-winning actress who has gained notoriety for her theater and film/TV projects alike. She starred in Ghost on Broadway in 2012, which landed her a Tony Award nomination for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.
From there, Randolph would star in The Angriest Man in Brooklyn, Office Christmas Party, Dolemite Is My Name, and The United States vs. Billie Holiday.
On the small screen, Randolph has starred in This Is Us, People on Earth, Empire, and High Fidelity. Randolph has also had roles in Only Murders in the Building and The Idol.
Over the past two years, Randolph has appeared in The Lost City, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish, and Rustin.
What this post-Oscar win role can mean for her career
Starring in this film with Harrison is a huge step for Randolph. She is a hot commodity at the moment thanks to The Holdovers. However, she has to strike while the iron is hot.
And that seems to be what she is doing. Randolph will also star in Shadow Force and Bride Hard coming up.
It feels like a matter of time before Randolph pops up in a high-profile project like the MCU.
What is The Holdovers?
The Holdovers is Alexander Payne's latest directorial feature. Paul Giamatti leads the film as a strict teacher at a boarding school in New England. He is tasked with watching over a set of students with nowhere to go over Christmas break.
Newcomer Dominic Sessa makes his film debut in the new film. He plays Angus Tully, one of the angsty students who gets stuck with Paul Hunham (Giamatti).
The film marks Payne and Giamatti's reunion after they made Sideways in 2004. Giamatti gained praise for his performance, earning his second Oscar nomination in his career. His first came in 2006 for his role in Cinderella Man. In 2024, he was up for Best Actor for his performance in The Holdovers, ultimately losing to Cillian Murphy (Oppenheimer).
In the film, Randolph plays Mary Lamb. She is the head cook at the boarding school and is also stuck there for the holidays. When Paul and Angus decide to go on a road trip, she tags along. The reaction to her performance was overwhelmingly positive — she received nominations and awards left and right.
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