A24’s ‘Dennis’ Casts British Veterans and Rising Stars

British actors Jim Broadbent, Kelly Macdonald, and Jamie Demetriou have joined the cast of "Dennis," the feature directorial debut from Emily Mortimer.

The trio joins previously announced leads Alison Oliver and Yura Borisov. Borisov recently drew critical acclaim for his role in the Oscar-nominated film "Anora."

The romantic drama follows the relationship between a British student, played by Oliver, and a Russian poet, played by Borisov, in 1990s Moscow. Mortimer, a BAFTA nominee, wrote the screenplay and will direct the project.

Mortimer’s previous credits include directing the series "The Pursuit of Love" and creating the HBO series "Doll and Em."

Emma Stone’s production company, Fruit Tree, is co-producing the film alongside A24. The project marks the latest collaboration between the two companies.

A24 is financing the film and will handle its worldwide distribution.

A24’s backing of Dennis serves as a significant institutional endorsement, reinforcing the studio’s dominance in the prestige independent film sector. The production's casting strategy reflects a calculated balance of veteran gravitas and emerging market heat; by pairing industry stalwarts Jim Broadbent and Kelly Macdonald with rising stars Alison Oliver and Yura Borisov, the studio is effectively hedging its bets. The recruitment of Borisov is a particularly tactical move, designed to capitalize on the actor's current momentum in Western markets following the critical success of Anora.

For Emily Mortimer, the project represents a high-stakes transition from television to feature-film directing. Securing the trust of a powerhouse like A24 for a debut feature validates her standing as a writer-director with significant creative upside. Historically set in 1990s Moscow, the film utilizes the volatile socio-political landscape of the post-Soviet era to elevate its romantic narrative, targeting an audience demographic that prioritizes intellectual complexity over traditional blockbuster fare. Furthermore, the expanding alliance between A24 and Emma Stone’s Fruit Tree is rapidly consolidating into a formidable brokerage for director-led projects, signaling a shift in the power dynamics of the independent film market.

The project is not expected to have a direct impact on the Vietnamese-American community's business interests, visa statuses—such as F2B, H-1B, or EB-5—or the flow of remittances. It won't move the needle for the nail salon industry, Little Saigon’s phở restaurants, or other cornerstones of the diaspora economy. However, A24 films consistently resonate with younger generations and cinephiles within the community, and Dennis is likely to continue that trend by capturing the attention of the diaspora's creative and youth-driven circles.