Anna Sawai, fresh off her Emmy-winning turn in Shōgun, is set to swap feudal Japan for modern-day Utah in her latest role, joining the cast of (Saint) Peter, a coming-of-age dramedy currently in production.
The film, directed by Josh Klausner (Date Night), centres on Peter Blanes, a high school freshman burdened with an unusual cross to bear: his older brother may just be a saint. Christian Convery, best known as the deer-boy hybrid in Netflix’s Sweet Tooth, plays the titular Peter, who retreats into the company of misfit friends as he grapples with adolescence and unwanted sainthood-by-association.
Sawai steps into the role of Sister Theresa, a Catholic nun whose presence promises both gravitas and complexity in the spiritual and familial chaos of Peter’s world. It marks yet another intriguing pivot for the New Zealand–born Japanese actor, whose recent run of roles—ranging from Cocaine Bear to Monarch: Legacy of Monsters—has showcased a striking versatility.
On Instagram, Sawai described the project as having “the most heatwarming script [she has] read.”
Joining Sawai and Convery in the ensemble are comedian Pete Holmes and Judy Greer (The Best Christmas Pageant Ever), who play Peter’s parents. What We Do in the Shadows star Harvey Guillén portrays Daymon Grundy, an aspiring journalist with an eye for a scoop, while Douglas Hodge (G20) takes on the part of the school’s beleaguered basketball coach.
Klausner, whose screenwriting credits include Shrek Forever After and DreamWorks’ Shrek the Third, is directing from his own script. The film is produced by Naomi Despres and Jennifer Goodridge, with Oscar-winner Peter Farrelly (Green Book) serving as executive producer. Shooting is underway in Salt Lake City.
As for Convery, the teen actor is quickly becoming a fixture on casting wishlists, with roles lined up in Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein, David Robert Mitchell’s Flowervale Street alongside Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor, and comedy Rolling Loud, opposite Owen Wilson and Matt Rife.
Read more: ‘Shogun’ Star Anna Sawai Makes History as First Asian Actress to Win Golden Globe Since 1981
For Sawai, Saint Peter marks the latest addition to a burgeoning résumé that continues to straddle continents and genres, cementing her status as one of the most dynamic actors of her generation.
