Lois Smith, 95, Joins Colin West's Time-Slip Drama 'Outside of Cleveland'

Tony Award winner Lois Smith, 95, has joined the cast of Colin West's upcoming feature "Outside of Cleveland," where she will play Marjorie, the grandmother of protagonist Max.

Smith's screen career spans seventy years. Her first on-screen role came in 1955, opposite James Dean in "East of Eden." Her credits include "Five Easy Pieces," "Twister," "Minority Report," "Dead Man Walking," "Ladybird" and "The French Dispatch." On television, she has appeared in "Law & Order: Organized Crime," "Ray Donovan," "The Americans" and "True Blood."

In 2017, Smith starred as the title character in Michael Almereyda's "Marjorie Prime," earning Gotham and Independent Spirit nominations for best supporting actress, among other accolades. Her stage work brought Tony nominations for "The Grapes of Wrath" and "Buried Child," and she won the Tony Award for "The Inheritance."

What is the film about?

"Outside of Cleveland" follows Max, a jingle writer in Chicago who wonders where his life went. When his parents sell his childhood home outside of Cleveland, he drives back to help them pack — and wakes up in the winter of 2009, aged 18. Back in his senior year, he reconnects with his neighbor Ellie, who encourages him to write his own songs. Max begins to wonder whether he has been sent back to change his past or to say goodbye to it.

The cast also includes Alex Wolff, Brooklynn Prince, Jim Gaffigan, Sarah Wayne Callies and Michael Ian Black. West noted that at the 2017 Gotham Awards, Prince and Smith were among the youngest and oldest nominees ever, for "The Florida Project" and "Marjorie Prime" respectively. "Years later, they end up in the same movie," he said.

Why Smith's role is personal for the director

West named Smith's character after his own grandmother, who died in 2012. "She was someone who always told me the truth, even when I didn't always want to hear it. This is the same role that Marjorie fills in our film," he said.

"She isn't there to comfort Max or make things easier; she's there to tell him the truth," West added. "The character needed to be tough yet warm, and Lois embodies that. She had such a wonderful attitude throughout, and she brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion. Having a legend like her bring my grandmother's spirit to the screen means more to me than I can say."

Producers Dan Erdman, Chad Simpson, Heather Francis and Drew Johnson said in a joint statement: "Colin wrote such a beautiful character in Marjorie. There's an immediate familiarity to her: that combination of a grandmother's warmth and wisdom. It's a pivotal moment in the film, and we needed someone who could convey its emotional weight with real authenticity. Lois was a dream choice, and we couldn't be more thrilled to have her."

Casting director Findley Davidson added: "The word is overused, but it's apt here: Lois Smith is an icon. At 95, she continues to work non-stop across theater, TV and film, and her dedication to the craft is remarkable."

How the rest of the cast came together

West said the casting hinged on Max. "Alex Wolff was an immediate choice as not only is he an incredible musician, he can also convey both the world-worn weariness of adulthood and the spark of adolescence, often within the same scene," he explained. He cited Jim Gaffigan, with whom he had worked before, and Sarah Wayne Callies for warmth and humor, and Brooklynn Prince for "an honesty and maturity that's rare at any age." Smith, he said, "ended up being the final key to that family dynamic."

West did not hide how personal the story is. "When I entered Max's room after our production design team had finished with it, I saw actual items from my own childhood," he said. "My art team had asked my parents for items, and it freaked me out, but also brought a smile to my face." He added: "Once I stopped trying to hide from the personal, the film became more relatable and honest. When I watch it, I see the Ohio that I know and love. I see home."

The film was selected for the U.S. in Progress co-production forum at Poland's Tauron American Film Festival. Brain Scratch Productions, 1515 Films and Sub_Sequential Pictures produce. West's previous feature, "Linoleum," premiered at SXSW. With a 95-year-old icon anchoring the family dynamic, "Outside of Cleveland" now carries one of the year's most cross-generational casts.