Greta Lee is reaffirming her commitment to independent cinema, describing films of its scale as essential to the future of theatrical moviegoing as she prepares for the release of her latest drama, Late Fame.
The 43-year-old actress rose to international prominence with Celine Song’s acclaimed 2023 romantic drama Past Lives, earning a Golden Globe nomination after years of standout supporting performances in series such as Girls and Russian Doll. That breakthrough led to a string of major studio projects, including Apple TV+’s The Morning Show, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Disney’s Tron: Ares and Toy Story 5.
Rather than remaining in blockbuster territory, however, Lee chose to follow that success with Late Fame, a character-driven independent drama directed by former film critic-turned-filmmaker Kent Jones.
Greta Lee Calls Independent Films “Essential”
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Lee said her return to independent filmmaking was a deliberate choice and stressed the importance of protecting films that depend on the theatrical experience. She described the current state of moviegoing as fragile, warning that audiences should not assume intimate, character-focused films will always have a place on the big screen.
“So much has been said in a much more articulate way about the importance of the theatre-going experience, but we are in a very tricky spot right now. I would be so devastated to find ourselves in a situation where there’s not a movie like this that one could go enjoy,” Lee said.
Lee said her belief is rooted in personal experience. She recalled watching Richard Linklater’s Before trilogy alone in a New York City cinema, describing those screenings as formative moments that shaped both her artistic ambitions and her life outside filmmaking.
For Lee, losing opportunities to discover films in that environment would be a loss for audiences as much as for the industry itself. She hopes Late Fame can offer someone the same kind of memorable theatrical experience, whether viewers see it simply as entertainment or as something more deeply personal.
Late Fame Brings Greta Lee Back to Her Indie Roots
Late Fame follows Ed Saxberger, a once-celebrated poet who has settled into life as a postal worker after years of creative silence. His quiet routine is disrupted when an enthusiastic young admirer introduces him to a group of twenty-something artists who embrace him as a forgotten literary genius. Lee stars as Gloria, the group’s enigmatic and tragic heroine. A Kurt Weill performer whose charisma complicates Ed’s search for authenticity, Gloria becomes central to the film’s exploration of art, recognition and belonging.
The screenplay was written by Oscar nominee Samy Burch (May December) and adapts Arthur Schnitzler’s 1895 novella, relocating the story to a contemporary, rapidly gentrifying downtown Manhattan.
The role also presented Lee with a creative challenge. She has spoken about learning Kurt Weill’s Surabaya Johnny while remaining in character under tight production schedules, drawing on memories of auditioning for musicals early in her New York career when performers were expected to arrive prepared with polished songs at a moment’s notice.
According to Lee, that pressure ultimately strengthened her performance and allowed her to bring Gloria to life with the resilience she developed during those early years as a working actor.
Late Fame premiered at the 82nd Venice International Film Festival on August 30, 2025, before making its North American debut at the 63rd New York Film Festival the following month. Magnolia Pictures will release the film in New York theaters on August 7 before expanding to Los Angeles the following week.
For Lee, the project represents more than another credit on an increasingly impressive résumé. After establishing herself in some of Hollywood’s biggest franchises, Late Fame signals a conscious return to the kind of intimate, character-driven storytelling that launched her career and, in her view, remains vital to the future of cinema.
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