Jessie Buckley To Star In Feature Film JOIN MY BAND

Rising musicals star Jessie Buckley is to star in her first film, JOIN MY BAND, with a soundtrack by jazz harpist and singer songwriter Lucinda Belle. Filming starts next month.

Jessie and Lucinda‘s fast growing careers both started out by being talent spotted: Jessie when she became the runner-up on Andrew Lloyd Webber's TV show I'd Do Anything; and Lucinda when the TV presenter Fearne Cotton spotted her backing Robbie Williams at the BBC Electric Proms last year, and invited her to perform on her own show. Jessie has gone on to star in the acclaimed West End production of A Little Night Music, and Lucinda is heading for chart success after landing a £1.25 million pound record deal with Universal! And they now come together in their first film.

JOIN MY BAND is a comic boy-meets-girl story, about what happens when opposites collide. Set against a fusion of musical styles, the short film tells the story of nerdy teenager Steve (introducing Max Fowler, performing lead vocals and guitar), who falls in love with the new girl in school, rebellious rock-chic Stella (Jessie Buckley). As she's completely oblivious to his feelings, Steve transforms his image to match hers and forms a punk-rock band with his friends. But it turns out that despite appearances, Stella isn't quite what she seems...

Casting for Stella was proving difficult, as the role called for the actress to be an accomplished classical Harpist - until 20 year old Jessie walked in. She turns out to be a classical musician, her mother is a professional concert harpist, and unbelievably Jessie had been playing the Irish Harp since the age of 7, passing Grade 6 with flying colours - the role could have been written for her!

JOIN MY BAND is written and to be directed by Naomi Wright, an established television director and producer whose work includes: several films for The South Bank Show and the final SBS Awards, plus the ITV series Fearne And - with Fearne Cotton and Peaches Geldof.

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