'Mama Duck': Catharine Daddario And Austin Woods Join Cast Of Jack Gorman And Shannon Walsh Dark Comedy

Shannon Walsh, Catharine Daddario and Austin Woods Ira Veridiano/James De Pietro/Casey James

EXCLUSIVE: The independent film Mama Duck, a dark comedy written and directed by the award-winning team of Jack Gorman and Shannon Walsh, is set to begin production on July 6, 2024, in the Greater Los Angeles area. Catharine Daddario (IF, The Tomorrow Job) and Austin Woods (American Horror Story, The Rookie) are attached to star alongside Walsh.

Mama Duck follows Caeli (Walsh), an aspiring animator who moves across the country to escape her overbearing family. Her promising new start is derailed by the reappearance of her college sweetheart Sabrina (Daddario) and the news of her brother Jake’s (Woods) cancer diagnosis, forcing her to confront the delicate balance between her personal struggles and the pursuit of her dreams.

Mama Duck expands on the themes explored in Gorman and Walsh’s highly-acclaimed short, A Dinner. Gorman and Walsh were named Top 10 Filmmakers to Watch by the Hollywood Times ahead of the 2023 Los Angeles Independent Film Festival.

“We’re taking the themes we explored in our short film A Dinner to a larger scale with Mama Duck while keeping the raw, personal approach that has become our trademark,” said Walsh. “We want to create a film that says it’s ok to laugh through the tears. I’m overjoyed to have Cat and Austin on board—we’re honored to have such dedicated and skilled actors join us on this journey, and we know their performances will resonate with audiences.”

“When Shannon and I set out to make any film, our first step is to think about how we can make the most honest film possible. With Mama Duck, we aim to create a story that will resonate with audiences through its authenticity and humor, even as it tackles difficult subjects,” said Gorman. “We couldn’t be more thrilled with the incredible talent we’ve assembled. Each member of our cast brings a unique energy and depth to their role, and we can’t wait to see them bring these characters to life on screen.”

The film’s producers include Sarah D’Ambrosio, along with Jack and Shannon’s production company JSFilms. The independent feature will shoot in the Greater Los Angeles area throughout July.

Walsh is rep’d by Independent Artist Group and Canopy Media Partners; Gorman is rep’d by Elevate Entertainment; Catharine’s reps are Madhouse Talent Management and Innovative Artists and Woods is repped by ROAR.