Rachel Zegler-Led Psychological Thriller ‘NDA’ Acquired by Bleecker Street

Bleecker Street has acquired U.S. rights to the psychological thriller, “NDA,” starring Golden Globe winner Rachel Zegler (“West Side Story,” “Evita”), Penn Badgley (“You”) and Academy Award nominee Amy Ryan (“Gone Baby Gone,” “The Wire”). The film, which is currently in production in New York, is Audrey Ellis Fox’s debut feature.

Zegler stars as Dana, a woman facing a “maddening day of mediation for an office harassment claim she filed.” The logline explains: “As the clock ticks towards an immutable deadline, she questions the price of her silence, sanity, and the truth.”

“I’m thrilled to be collaborating with Rachel, Penn, Amy, Bleecker, and the rest of this exceptional team to bring my film to screen,” said Ellis Fox, whose original script for the film was featured on the 2024 Black List. “’NDA’ is a story about power and perception, and it’s incredibly exciting to work with partners who so fiercely believe in its vision.”

“NDA” will be produced by Jared Ian Goldman and Zola Elgart Glassman (for Mighty Engine); Keith Calder and Jess Wu Calder (SNOOT); Caitlin Gold (Tanbark Pictures); and Daniel Ginsberg (In The Cut Productions). Ellis Fox will executive produce the project alongside Bleecker Street CEO Kent Sanderson, Tyler DiNapoli and Miranda King, as well as Christian Hall.

“‘NDA’ was one of the best scripts I’ve read and is exactly the kind of bold, filmmaker-driven cinema we’re passionate about championing,” said Sanderson. “Audrey is a tremendous talent, and we’re honored to collaborate with her and the equally talented Rachel to bring this story to life.”

While “NDA” marks Ellis Fox’s feature debut, she is an accomplished narrative and commercial filmmaker, directing projects for Nike, Netflix, McLaren, Gatorade, Amazon, Nestle and Adidas. Ellis Fox has also worked with talent including Salma Hayek, Hailey Bieber and Simu Liu. Her script for “NDA” was selected for the Women in Film X Black List’s Feature Residency program in 2023. Ellis Fox is represented by CAA, Writ Large and Austen Tyerman Wertheimer Mandelbaum Morris Bernstein Trattner Auerbach Hynick Jaime LeVine Sample & Klein.

Zegler’s breakout came when she won the starring role in Steven Spielberg’s “West Side Story.” After winning a Golden Globe for her performance, she went on to star in “The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes” and Disney’s live-action “Snow White.” Zegler most recently starred on stage in “Evita,” for which she earned the Olivier Award for best actress; she will reprise the role on Broadway in 2027. Next, she will star in Lin-Manuel Miranda’s film adaptation of the musical “Octet,” plus the forthcoming dramedy “She Gets It from Me.” Zegler is represented by WME, Brillstein Entertainment Partners, and Hirsch Wallerstein Hayum Matlof + Fishman.

Badgley most recently produced and starred in the Netflix thriller series “You,” playing the brainy serial killer Joe Goldberg. The actor also made his directorial debut during the show’s five-season run. After producing and co-hosting the hit podcast “Podcrushed,” Badgley will next appear in the romantic comedy “You Deserve Each Other” alongside Meghann Fahy. He is represented by CAA, Brillstein Entertainment Partners, and Hansen Jacobson Teller Hoberman Newman Warren Richman Rush Kaller Gellman Meigs & Fox.

In addition to her Oscar-nominated performance in “Gone Baby Gone,” Ryan’s filmography includes “Birdman,” “Bridge of Spies,” “Beautiful Boy” and “Beau Is Afraid.” On TV, she is best known for her work on “The Office,” “The Wire,” “In Treatment” and, most recently, “Only Murders in the Building.” Ryan is next set to appear in Oscar winner Tom McCarthy’s next film, “A Statement.” She is represented by Untitled Entertainment, Gersh, and Brecheen Feldman Breimer Silver Thompson.