Four-Time Academy Award Nominee Jane Alexander Will Star in Lillian, NextDoor, a New Indie Feature Film Beginning Production in April

Marco Pigossi (center) and Kanoa Goo (right) join in the drama-comedy, which is directed by award-winning director Janice Engel

Los Angeles / New York — Jane Alexander (Kramer vs. Kramer, All the President’s

Men, Severance), a four-time Academy Award nominee and two-time Primetime Emmy

Award winner, is set to star in the new film Lillian, Next Door, which begins production

this month in Nova Scotia under the direction of SXSW Audience Award-winning

director Janice Engel (Raise Hell: The Life & Times of Molly Ivins).

Alexander will star opposite Marco Pigossi (You’re Dating a Narcissist, Bone Lake,

High Tide) and Kanoa Goo (I Was a Simple Man, The Rookie, Fire Country) in this

emotionally layered drama-comedy that centers on an ex-CIA operative with a sly wit

who infiltrates the lives of two gay men who move in next door. As secrets unfold, the

layers of truth lead to an unexpected friendship and life-altering choices.

“I've been wanting to play a female spy for years, so I am excited about stepping into

Lillian's shoes,” says Jane Alexander. “My own relationships with younger people enrich

my life in many ways, and I'm excited to explore those dynamics on screen. I'm happy

to be filming in Nova Scotia with this cast, crew, and creative team.”

Alexander, whose career spans more than six decades across film, television, and

theater (and includes a stint helming the NEA), recently garnered renewed critical

attention for her 2025 Emmy-nominated performance in Severance. She also currently

appears in the critically acclaimed American Classic. Her 1983 film Testament, which

earned her an Academy Award nomination for her portrayal of a mother holding her

family together in the wake of a nuclear apocalypse, joined the Criterion Collection in

March. Her involvement in Lillian, Next Door marks a significant return to a leading role

in a character-driven independent feature.

Director Janice Engel brings a proven track record of critically acclaimed work to the

project. Produced by James Egan, her documentary Raise Hell: The Life & Times of

Molly Ivins premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was later recognized by Rotten

Tomatoes as one of the best films directed by women in the 21st century.

"I love stories of fearless women who commit to something larger than themselves.

That’s Lillian, and it’s definitely Jane Alexander. And to have Marco Pigossi and Kanoa

Goo as Lillian's neighbors is a dream," says director Janice Engel. "These improbable

friends find common ground and create a chosen family. I have my own chosen family,

people who understand me and let me be myself authentically. Isn’t that true for so

many of us?"

Written by Tim Atkin, a former Coast Guard officer and National Security Council staff

member under President Clinton, the story is inspired by lived experiences. Developed

and led by a predominantly LGBTQ+ creative team, including director Janice Engel,

producer James Egan, writer Tim Atkin, cinematographer Bianca Butti and editor

Phyllis Housen, the project is produced by Wild at Heart Films (Producer James

Egan), Emotion Pictures (Producer Thom Fitzgerald) and Snarky Elephant

Productions (Co-Producer Neal Ludevig).

Producer James Egan, of Wild at Heart Films, has produced and shepherded

award-winning films across Sundance, SXSW, and international markets, with

distribution partnerships spanning Sony Pictures Classics, HBO, Magnolia, and Apple

TV+.

Snarky Elephant’s latest project, “Zari”, won both the Grand Jury Prize and Audience

Award at NewFest and screened internationally before its broadcast on AMC+, as well

as the globally distributed acclaimed series INSOMNIA, Snarky Elephant has

established a track record of elevating culturally specific stories with international reach.'

Lillian, Next Door continues a legacy of storytelling that engages with broad audiences

about the representation of women as strong and independent central protagonists. It

also highlights the continuing challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community and the

power of chosen family. Alexander’s casting carries particular significance in this regard,

given her history of supporting boundary-pushing work, including her role in the

groundbreaking 1978 television film A Question of Love, which addressed lesbian

motherhood at a time when such stories were rarely seen onscreen.

Sales will be handled by WME Independent.

You can learn more about Lillian, Next Door @lilliannextdoormovie.

Press inquiries can be directed to:

Snarky Elephant Press Team

LNDpress@snarkyelephant.com

David Jeffrey Ringer: +1 (917) 727-2131

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Wild at Heart Films was founded by producer James Egan in 2000, and is dedicated to creating “media that makes a difference.” With a track record of producing award-winning independent films that combine strong storytelling with social impact, the company has produced numerous acclaimed projects which have premiered and screened at major festivals globally, including Sundance and SXSW for its most recent acclaimed documentary, “Raise Hell: The Life And Times of Molly Ivins”. The first project under Wild at Heart Films was the critically acclaimed independent film Jackpot, winner of the John Cassavetes Spirit Award for best low-budget feature.Wild at Heart has established itself as a leader to committing bold, meaningful, and globally resonant films.

Snarky Elephant Productions (SEP) is a creator-led studio dedicated to telling bold, culturally resonant stories that “address the elephant in the room, in a snarky way.” Since 2018, its work has been recognized at leading festivals including Tribeca, Sundance, Dances With Films, and Outfest. Building on recent projects including Zari - a NewFest Grand Jury and Audience Award winner later broadcast on AMC+, and its vertical microdrama comedy series Bad Brown Kids, which explores identity and diaspora through a sharp, digital-first lens - SEP continues to elevate underrepresented voices across formats with global impact.

Emotion Studios / Thom Fitzgerald: Emotion Pictures was founded in 1996 with the intent of producing innovative and independent films. In the decades since, it has become one of Canada’s leading and most respected boutique production houses.