Bill Hader To Star In David Foster Wallace-Inspired ‘Empress Of Serenity’, From ‘Me And Earl’ Writer
Jesse Andrewsrecently turned his first novel,Me and Earl and the Dying Girl, into his first screenplay, earning all sorts of praise as a result. Now he’s getting ready for another first: his feature directing debut. Andrews will directBill HaderinEmpress of Serenity, an indie dramedy inspired byDavid Foster Wallace’s essayA Supposedly Fun Thing I’ll Never Do Again.
Andrews will directEmpress of Serenityfrom his own original screenplay. Hader plays a man who goes on a cruise to bond with his father, who in turn helps Hader’s character deal with his intimacy issues.Stephen Chbosky(author and screenwriter ofThe Perks of Being a Wallflower) will produce along withJohn Malkovich,Russell Smith, andLiane Halfon, with whom he worked onPerks. Shooting onEmpress of Serenitywill begin this spring in the Pacific Ocean.
Empress of Serenityis not a direct adaptation of Wallace’s essay, which was originally published byHarper’sin 1996 under the title “Shipping Out” and then republished under the longer title as the centerpiece of Wallace’s 1997 essay collection. In it, Wallace recounts his experiences on a seven-night luxury cruise. Because this is Wallace we’re talking about, the essay spins off into wonderfully empathetic and existential directions. You can read theHarper’sstory in fullhere (PDF).
Hader leftSaturday Night Livein 2013 after eight seasons. The sketch show was a great showcase for his comedic talent, but recently he’s also demonstrated some serious dramatic chops in films likeThe Skeleton Twins. Hader had two big hits this summer, playing Amy Schumer’s beau in Judd Apatow’sTrainwreckand voicing the skittish Fear in Pixar’sInside Out. He’ll be seen next year in Steven Spielberg’sThe BFG, and heard in bothThe Angry Birds MovieandSausage Party.
Andrews’Me and Earl and the Dying Girlblended pathos and humor to touching effect, and the film adaptation by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon served as a breakthrough for all three of its young stars (in title order, Thomas Mann, RJ Cyler, and Olivia Cooke). Andrews' second novel,The Haters, is due out in April 2016.
