Cynthia Erivo will star in Karoshi. The film represents her first major action thriller role since her breakthrough performances in dramatic works, adding to her increasingly diverse filmography.
The Wicked actress has signed up to star in the upcoming action thriller alongside the previously-announced Teo Yoo and Isabel May, Deadline reports. This marks a powerful ensemble cast bringing together talent from across the global film industry.
Takashi Doscher is directing from a script he wrote himself and production on the movie is set to begin in June. Doscher’s previous work has received acclaim at several international film festivals, signaling high expectations for this new project.
The film is described as a corporate thriller with a samurai twist but specific plot details, or the roles the trio are set to play, are being kept under wraps. Industry insiders suggest the film will blend traditional Japanese concepts with modern corporate intrigue.
Erivo is hugely busy at the moment. Her packed schedule reflects her status as one of Hollywood’s most in-demand performers, with projects spanning film, music, and theater.
As well as being a red carpet fixture during awards season, the 38-year-old star just released a new single, “Replay,” from an upcoming album and will star as Jesus in a production of “Jesus Christ Superstar” at the Hollywood Bowl in August. The gender-reversed casting has generated significant buzz in theater circles.
In addition, Erivo is currently in production on Gina Prince-Bythewood’s big screen adaptation of “Children of Blood and Bone” and will host the Tony Awards in June. The fantasy adaptation has been highly anticipated since the novel became a bestseller.
She will be seen again as Elphaba when Wicked: For Good, the second part of the adaptation, is released in November. The first part has already established itself as one of the most successful movie musicals in recent years.
Erivo dedicated herself to her role in ‘Wicked’ and previously admitted she slept for just two to three hours a night during filming. This level of commitment has become characteristic of her approach to transformative roles.
The actress would wake very early for a two-hour workout ahead of the two hours she had to spend in the make-up chair getting transformed in time for a 5 a.m. call time. The green makeup application process required specialized techniques developed specifically for the film.
“I think I consciously run towards things that will use me physically, as well as mentally, because I believe that the body and the mind are intrinsically, truly intrinsically linked,” Discussing sacrificing sleep during a screening of the movie during a Q&A session with Kristen Bell at the Academy Museum’s Ted Mann Theatre in Los Angeles, People magazine reports she said. Her dedication has earned praise from directors and co-stars alike.
“Sometimes the body is the thing that tells the mind what to do, and sometimes the mind is the thing that will tell the body what to do because I feel like I’m a very physical person. I want both things to be in action. I want both things to be being used.” This philosophy has guided her approach to physically demanding roles throughout her career.
Erivo explained her daily workouts were necessary in order to be in the best shape possible for her flying scenes. The complex aerial choreography required months of specialized training.
“I had never flown before. I just knew I wanted to, I’d flown a small amount, but nothing like this before. And that requires your core to be the strongest you could possibly be, because the wires will take you from one place to another,” she said. The flying sequences in Wicked have been praised for their technical innovation.
“Jo McLaren, my stunt coordinator, was so good with me. She was like, ‘Are you sure you want to do all of this?’ And I said, ‘Yes’.” McLaren has worked with numerous A-list actors on demanding physical performances throughout her career.
“And so what I would need to do is ready enough so that when the wires are working to move me from point A to point B to point C, if we’re doing a loop to loop, which is that big loop, I have to get myself over and round without my legs just falling behind me.” This attention to physical preparation has become a hallmark of Erivo’s approach to performance.
