As per Deadline, it looks like Diane Keaton and Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom star Taylour Paige are signed on to act in Mack and Rita, a romantic comedy with a magical twist. The independent feature will be directed by actor-filmmaker Katie Aselton Duplass and written by Madeline Walter and Paul Welsh. Alex Saks will produce.
Mack and Rita begins with Mack, or Mackenzie Martin, a 30-something-year-old woman who just wants to feel comfortable and settled in life. She’s always admired her Grammie, and wanted to grow up to be just like her: accepting of who she is, confident enough to say “no,” and unbothered by the opinions of others.
When Mack wanders around Palm Springs during her best friend Carla’s (Paige) bachelorette party, she stumbles upon a sound regression pod (in true Cali fashion) and steps inside. Unintentionally getting what she asked for, Mack emerges as a 70-year-old woman, she names “Aunt Rita” (Keaton).
Mack quickly realizes that hitting fast-forward on her life and brushing over her personal progression won’t truly make her into the woman she wants to be. She must learn that self-acceptance comes from experience and to firmly take hold of life’s little moments.
Keaton and Paige have been keeping busy, with the Annie Hall star appearing in the comedy Love, Weddings & Other Disasters and the Father of the Bride Part 3 (ish) short in 2020. Paige’s star continues to rise with stellar credits including Oscar-nominated Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Focus Features’ Boogie, which is out now, and Lena Dunham’s upcoming film Sharp Stick. Paige rose to fame for her work in Zola, White Boy Rick and Hit the Floor the series.
Director Katie Aselton Duplass can be seen in the upcoming film The Unholy. Her previous acting credits include The Tomorrow Man and FX’s Legion. She positioned herself behind the camera to direct indie films Black Rock and Freebie.