British singer-songwriter Adele is set to make her acting debut with Tom Ford’s upcoming directorial, an adaptation of Anne Rice’s period novel Cry to Heaven, the US media reported Thursday.
According to a report by US-based entertainment magazine Deadline, Adele will star alongside Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ciarán Hinds, George MacKay, Mark Strong, Hunter Schafer, and Thandiwe Newton.
The film will also feature child actor Owen Cooper, known for Netflix’s psychological series Adolescence. He became the youngest male actor to receive an Emmy award this year for the series.
Set in the 18th century, Cry to Heaven follows the story of two men, Guido Maffeo and Tonio Treschi, both of whom are connected to the world of castrati singers (a male singer who, for the sake of retaining his high voice, underwent surgical castration before puberty).
Guido is a former castrato who becomes a famous soprano, then a teacher after losing his voice, while Tonio is a nobleman from Venice whose brother is exiled. The story explores their complex relationship and the themes of music, vengeance, decadence, and the unique psychological and social position of castrati.
The upcoming film is currently in pre-production in London and Rome. The film is set to go on floors in mid-January 2026.
The film is also set to reunite Ford and Taylor-Johnson, who worked together in the films Nocturnal Animals and Firth.
Adele has received several accolades for her musical ventures, including 16 Grammy Awards, an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a Golden Globe Award, 18 Billboard Music Awards and twelve Brit Awards among them.
In 2024, Adele announced a hiatus from music following her Munich concert. “I’m not the most comfortable performer, I know that, but I am very f***ing good at it. And I have really enjoyed performing for nearly three years now, which is the longest I’ve ever done and probably the longest I’ll ever do,” she told the audience.
Adele dropped her fourth studio album 30 in 2021.
