Kingston Rumi Southwick & Banks Repeta To Topline Horror Thriller ‘Henry’s Ebb’ From Thomas Mendolia
EXCLUSIVE: Kingston Rumi Southwick (Presumed Innocent) and Banks Repeta (Armageddon Time) will topline Henry’s Ebb, an indie horror thriller marking the feature debut of writer-director Thomas Mendolia.
Others starring in the film, which recently wrapped production in North Carolina, include Ashley Shelton (War Pony), Will Holland, Rebecca Ann Koon (The Menu) and Austin Willard.
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Described as a southeastern-set story in the vein of Stand By Me or Mud, with genre elements, Henry’s Ebb follows Henry (Southwick) as he runs away from an abusive home with his imaginary best friend, Ebb (Repeta). The journey tests their friendship, as well as Henry’s inner “need” for Ebb as Ebb’s control and manipulation over Henry intensifies.
Lucas Ford (Party People, American Baby) and Joey LePage (The Drop, Birds of Paradise) are serving as the film’s producers, with Ford Films as the production company. Tracy Kilpatrick (The Peanut Butter Falcon) oversaw casting.
Currently, Southwick can be seen playing Kyle Sabich, the son of Jake Gyllenhaal and Ruth Negga’s Rusty and Barbara, on Apple’s hit crime drama Presumed Innocent, which has been renewed for a second season. He’ll next be seen starring opposite Kaley Cuoco and Chris Messina in the second season of Peacock’s Based on a True Story, which premieres on November 21.
Perhaps best known for his Critics’ Choice Award-nominated turn opposite Anthony Hopkins, Anne Hathaway and Jeremy Strong in Armageddon Time, the acclaimed coming-of-age drama from James Gray, Repeta has also been seen in Scott Derrickson’s horror hit The Black Phone, Antonio Campos’ Netflix thriller The Devil All the Time, and Alan Ball’s acclaimed Sundance drama Uncle Frank. TV credits include Welcome to Flatch, The Outsider, and Manhunt.
A graduate of UNC Greensboro’s BFA Acting Program who later attended USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, Mendolia has previously directed a number of shorts, including the buzzy horror pic Mr. Thisforthat, which premiered at the Fantasia Film Festival.
Southwick is represented by Buchwald and Paul Hastings; Repeta by Buchwald, Brillstein Entertainment Partners, STW Talent, and Jackoway Austen Tyerman; and Mendolia by Verve.
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