Jess Gabor and Arthur Langlie to Star in “He Talks to Me”

By Tom Whitfield

Jess Gabor and Arthur Langlie will star in “He Talks to Me,” a psychological thriller that Variety reveals exclusively, with Christina Kallas directing and Alejandro Adams writing.

Mike S. Ryan developed the project and will produce it through his banner, Greyshack Films, according to Variety. Derrick Tseng will also produce. The report gives no filming start date, release date, distributor or platform, so the announcement establishes a creative and producing team rather than a confirmed production schedule.

According to the official logline, “He Talks to Me” follows “Melody (Gabor), a young single mother in rural Arkansas, who is followed home by local police officer Bryce Hagan (Langlie) for what begins as a casual interrogation and spirals into a harrowing test of survival, coercion and endurance.”

The wording identifies rural Arkansas, a police encounter and an explicit escalation from questioning to coercion. It does not specify the duration of the encounter, the mother’s situation beyond single motherhood, or the outcome.

Variety also lists Sayra Player, Adam David Thompson and Ryan Siegel among the cast. The announcement gives no character names for them and does not distinguish their roles by size or billing.

What does the casting change for the film?

The practical change is narrow but concrete: Gabor and Langlie are the named central pair in a developed thriller, with Kallas directing, Adams writing, Ryan developing and producing, and Tseng producing.

The premise puts Melody and Bryce Hagan on opposing sides of a police encounter that the official logline says becomes coercive. It remains a project announcement, however. Variety publishes no statement from Gabor or Langlie and offers no evidence that filming has begun.

Variety describes Kallas as a two-time Berlinale and Slamdance alumna. Her other projects include “Paris is in Harlem” and “The Rainbow Experiment.”

She is a former president of the Federation of Screenwriters in Europe and a member of the Actors Studio. The report does not explain how those credits shaped this particular screenplay, and it offers no direct statement from Kallas about the film.

Variety reports that Gabor recently wrapped production on Tony Goldwyn’s “Hello Darkness.” She can next be seen in a recurring role in Season 3 of “Daredevil: Born Again.” The report also names David Michod’s “Christy,” “The Friend” with Bill Murray, and Greyson Horst’s “Throuple” among her recent film credits.

On television, Variety says Gabor starred in Season 2 of the Paramount+ series “School Spirits” and describes her work in Seasons 9 and 10 of “Shameless” as a breakout performance.

Langlie was last seen in Kent Jones’ 2025 drama “Late Fame,” which starred Willem Dafoe and Greta Lee, according to Variety. His upcoming credits include Samuel Goodwin’s “Cut Your Teeth,” with producer Aaron Moorhead, and Ana Brown’s “Trash Pandas,” with producer Peter Cambor.

Representation details in the Variety report are as follows:

• Jess Gabor — Anonymous Content, Buchwald and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.
• Arthur Langlie — UTA.
• Alejandro Adams — Range Media Partners.
• Adam David Thompson — CGF Talent.
• Sayra Player — Exclusive Artists Agency.
• Ryan Siegel — Avenue B Talent.

The report does not list representation for Kallas, Ryan or Tseng.

The next verifiable step for “He Talks to Me” is a filming date, platform or fuller cast announcement; until one appears, its public record remains limited to the named leads, creative team, producers and official premise.