Yahoo Lifestyle Jeremy Allen White to Star in Netflix Bisexual Romance Drama ‘Enigma Variations’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Jeremy Allen White is attached to star in and executive produce a Netflix limited series adaptation of the André Aciman novel “Enigma Variations,” Variety has learned exclusively from sources.
The project is currently in development at the streamer. Should it move forward, this would be the second onscreen adaptation of one of Aciman’s novels. Previously, his novel “Call Me by Your Name” was turned into a critically-acclaimed film starring Timothée Chalamet and Armie Hammer with James Ivory writing and Luca Guadagnino directing. The film received four Oscar nominations upon its release, with Ivory winning for best adapted screenplay.
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Amanda Kate Shuman is attached to serve as writer, executive producer, and showrunner on “Enigma Variations,” with Oliver Hermanus set to direct and executive produce. Aciman will executive produce along with White, with Media Res producing. Michael Ellenberg and Lindsey Springer will executive produce on behalf of Media Res.
Reps for Netflix declined to comment.
White will star as the main character, Paul. The official description of the novel states:
“‘Enigma Variations’ charts the life of a man named Paul, whose loves remain as consuming and as covetous throughout his adulthood as they were in his adolescence. Whether the setting is southern Italy, where as a boy he has a crush on his parents’ cabinetmaker, or a snowbound campus in New England, where his enduring passion for a girl he’ll meet again and again over the years is punctuated by anonymous encounters with men—whether he’s on a tennis court in Central Park or on a New York sidewalk in early spring. Paul’s attachments are ungraspable, transient, and forever underwritten by raw desire. Ahead of every step Paul takes, his hopes, denials, fears, and regrets are always ready to lay their traps. Yet the dream of love lingers. We may not always know what we want. We may remain enigmas to ourselves and to others. But sooner or later, we discover who we’ve always known we were.”
White currently stars on the hit FX series “The Bear,” for which he has won two Emmys and three Golden Globes to date. The fourth season of the series is currently in the works. White is also well known for playing Philip “Lip” Gallagher in the Showtime series “Shameless” across its entire 11-season run at the premium cabler. His film credits include “The Iron Claw” and upcoming films like the Bruce Springsteen biopic “Deliver Me from Nowhere” as well as “The Mandalorian & Grogu.”
He is repped by WME, Entertainment 360, and Hansen Jacobson.
Shuman was most recently a writer and executive producer on the Amazon epic fantasy series “The Wheel of Time.” She has also worked on shows like “Berlin Station,” “Tell Me Your Secrets,” “The Blacklist,” and “Chuck.” She is repped by UTA and Hansen Jacobson.
Hermanus is known for writing and directing the features “Shirley Adams,” “Beauty,” “The Endless River,” and “Moffie.” He also directed the film “Living” starring Bill Nighy and recently helmed multiple episodes of the Sky Atlantic-Starz series “Mary & George.” He most recently shot the film “The History of Sound” starring Josh O’Connor and Paul Mescal, which is awaiting a premiere date. He repped by LARK, UTA, and Granderson Des Rochers.
For Media Res, this is their second project at Netflix to reported recently. In September 2024, it was revealed that the company was producing a corporate thriller series set in Silicon Valley at the streamer with Rosamund Pike attached to star. That project, titled “Thumblite,” was given a straight-to-series order. Media Res’ current slate also includes the Apple TV+ shows “The Morning Show” and “Pachinko.”
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