Entertainment

Teyonah Parris Joins Apple's Sports Drama 'Running'

Jonah VillalbaPublished 6d ago2 min readBased on 6 sources
Teyonah Parris Joins Apple's Sports Drama 'Running'
Photo by Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America / CC BY-SA 2.0

Teyonah Parris has joined the cast of Apple Original Films' sports drama Running, directed by Gavin O'Connor, according to Deadline. The casting was reported on 20 August 2026.

Bill Dubuque wrote the screenplay, working from a story he developed with O'Connor. The film follows a homeless high school running prodigy who uses his talent to outrun his past and find a family. Makeready and Waffle Iron Entertainment are co-producing — a co-production meaning two production companies share development and financing duties on a single project.

Parris steps into an ensemble that already includes Brian Tyree Henry, an Academy, Emmy and Tony Award nominee, whose casting Apple TV announced on Facebook in April 2026. Comedian Andrew Schulz was added in May, per Deadline. Actor Spike Fearn had been announced in the project before Henry's involvement was confirmed.

O'Connor brings a background in character-driven sports dramas. He previously directed Warrior (2011), a mixed-martial-arts family story, and The Way Back (2020), centring on a former basketball player coaching a struggling high school team.

For Parris, the role adds another Apple project to her slate. She will also appear in the Apple Original Films live-action adventure Matchbox The Movie, inspired by Mattel's die-cast toy vehicle line, opposite John Cena and Jessica Biel. That film is set for release on 9 October. Parris joined her co-stars in promoting Matchbox at the 2026 San Diego Comic-Con on 25 July.

Parris is widely known for originating the adult role of Marvel superhero Monica Rambeau in WandaVision, the Disney+ series that launched in 2021. She took the character to the big screen in The Marvels (2023), starring alongside Brie Larson and Iman Vellani under the direction of Nia DaCosta. She also starred opposite John Boyega and Jamie Foxx in Netflix's They Cloned Tyrone, directed by Juel Taylor.

She is represented by CAA and Fox Rothschild.

No production start date or release window for Running has been announced.

Related Articles