By Variety | Created at 2026-05-29 15:21:43 | Updated at 2026-06-07 07:51:27
1 week ago
Gabourey Sidibe is set to star in and executive produce “Rose Moon,” a Southern Gothic psychological drama from filmmaker Daniel Peddle.
The film follows Rose King, a lonely North Carolina probation officer whose affair with a parolee spirals into obsession, placing her career at risk. It is based on a true story with the filmmakers saying “Rose Moon” will explore “loneliness, desire, power, faith, and identity through the lens of a middle-aged Black woman experiencing a late-life sexual awakening.”
Sidibe will play Rose in her first major dramatic feature lead since her breakthrough in “Precious,” the 2009 film that scored her an Oscar nomination. She has collaborated closely with Peddle on the development of the screenplay and character.
“Every time there’s a news story about a female corrections officer having a romantic entanglement with an inmate, I always wonder about the woman and what led her to those choices,” Sidibe said in a statement. “Without judgment, I wonder why she would risk her livelihood, her safety, and more than anything, her own freedom. When Daniel told me this story, I immediately understood. It’s not love or even excitement that drives someone toward a dangerous decision like this. It’s loneliness. Soul-crushing, unbearable loneliness.”
Peddle’s previous films include “Moss” and “Beyond The Aggressives: 25 Years Later.” Sidibe’s credits include “Empire,” “Antebellum” and “Tower Heist.” She recently made her feature directorial debut with Lifetime’s “Be Happy” and is currently filming the next season of “American Horror Story.”
“Gabourey brings extraordinary emotional intelligence, vulnerability, humor, and humanity to Rose,” said Peddle. “From our earliest conversations, she connected deeply to the character and challenged me to push the material further. The film became richer, more emotionally truthful, and more expansive through that collaboration.”
“Rose Moon” will start production in Georgia this year and will be produced by Tyler Stephenson for Coffee Robot, alongside Anton Palmér, Brian Pendleton for Drama Kween Productions and Wellington Love for w/Love Productions. Casting is by Ryan Tymensky.
Sidibe is represented by Authentic Talent & Literary Management and TS Law Group.
