featuring @iamjojo @coltermikecolter
Singer and actress Joanna “JoJo” Levesque, known for her role in Moulin Rouge! The Musical!, will star alongside Luke Cage and Evil star Mike Colter in the upcoming Los Angeles-set romantic drama The Very Thought of You. Both Levesque and Colter will also serve as executive producers on the project, which is written and produced by John Zaring, known for Pursuit of Happiness.
Set in the vibrant Eagle Rock neighborhood of Los Angeles, the film is described as a “soulful, jazz-infused love story.” It follows Emmy Davis (Levesque), a former television talent show finalist whose promising career was derailed at 16 following sexual abuse by a powerful music producer. Now 30, Emmy lives a quiet life as a barista, caring for her grandmother and hiding her traumatic past. Her life changes when she meets a jazz pianist and college professor (Colter), who is also a widowed father struggling to find his rhythm while raising his young daughter. As music becomes their connection, both must confront their pasts and decide whether they are willing to risk everything for a second chance at love.
The project is produced by Van Scott Folger (American Underdog) alongside Zaring. Additional executive producers include Bianca Cioffi (from So, Is This Love?) and Charles Vignola—who spent three decades developing blockbuster films at Jerry Bruckheimer Films before joining ZCE in 2024. The film is being developed under the Zaring/Cioffi Entertainment banner in collaboration with Colter Productions, with filming scheduled to commence in Los Angeles in November 2026.
“I’ve always been drawn to stories that connect music and emotion,” Colter shared. “This film is about two people finding their rhythm again, not just in their hearts but on stage.”
Levesque, returning to the big screen after more than a decade, expressed her enthusiasm for the role: “The story touches on the power imbalances that exist in an industry where women are too often taken advantage of, and it does so in a truthful, compassionate way. Playing Emmy is a gift for an actress who sings, and I’m so excited to bring her to life.” Levesque, who is the youngest solo artist to have a number-one hit in the U.S., has released six studio albums and has appeared on Broadway, TV series, and made her feature film debut in 2006’s Aquamarine.
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