Some high-profile stars of hit TV shows are coming to Portland to work on a movie for the Paramount Plus streaming service. Brian Cox, who plays media mogul Logan Roy on HBO’s Emmy-winning “Succession,” and Kelly Reilly, who stars as the headstrong Beth Dutton on the megahit contemporary Western, “Yellowstone,” are among the cast for “Little Wing,” which begins production this month in Portland.
According to an announcement today from Paramount Plus, “Little Wing” is a coming-of-age film, from the Awesomeness media company. The film is inspired by a New Yorker article by Susan Orlean (”The Orchid Thief”), who, earlier in her career, worked as a journalist in Portland.
“Little Wing” tells the story of a 13-year-old named Kaitlyn, who turns to pigeon racing even as her life is thrown into turmoil by her parents’ divorce and the pending loss of her home. According to the synopsis, Kaitlyn “hopes to solve her family’s financial woes by stealing a valuable bird, but instead forms a bond with the owner who cultivates her love of the sport.”
Cox stars as Jean, the pigeon racer; Reilly plays Kaitlyn’s mother, Maddie; Brooklynn Prince (”Cocaine Bear,” “The Florida Project”) is Kaitlyn; and Che Tafari (”Me Time”) plays Adam, a friend and classmate of Kaitlyn’s.
The film is written by John Gatins (”Flight”) and directed and executive produced by Dean Israelite (”Power Rangers”). The executive producers include Orlean and Cox.
The Awesomeness media company specializes in entertainment directed toward “the global Gen Z audience.” Previous productions have included “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before,” which was set in Portland, though not filmed here; and “Trinkets,” which filmed in and around Portland.— Kristi Turnquist