Emily Deschanel, Carrie Brownstein join 1990s Seattle drama Friend Thing
Emily Deschanel, Carrie Brownstein and three more performers have joined Friend Thing, an independent coming-of-age drama set in mid-1990s Seattle.
The film is the feature debut for writer-director Harry Calbom, his first full-length film made for cinemas, and production has wrapped in Seattle, according to Deadline. The casting news was reported on 17 September 2026.
Coming-of-age, in plain terms, means a story about growing up and working out who you are. Independent means the film is made outside the major studio system, usually with a smaller budget and a tight producing team.
Deschanel plays Anne Madsen, mother to two of the central children. Her son Lane Madsen is played by Ryder Allen. The family sits near the centre of the story.
Brownstein plays Louise McCready, mother of Pearl Jam guitarist Mike McCready. It is a direct link to the Seattle music scene written into the characters.
Nick Thune plays Gil Calder, father to the film’s 14-year-old lead. Musician Holden Jaffe, who records and performs as Del Water Gap, also joins the ensemble cast.
The new arrivals do not stop there. Recker Eans, Milo Maharlika, Kayla Anjali, Stella Grace Fitzgerald, Krishna Thea and Dylan Bruce have also been cast in supporting roles.
They join five performers whose casting was announced earlier. Alfie Williams, Ryan Kiera Armstrong, Lewis Black, Adam Ray and Pete Holmes were already aboard the production.
The story centres on a sensitive 14-year-old boy. He falls for a magnetic new girl. Then heartbreak and a family tragedy force him to decide what kind of friend he wants to be. That decision is the spine of the film.
Seattle is more than a backdrop. The film is set when the city’s guitar sound was travelling the world, and music is part of its identity. Pearl Jam have granted the production rights to use their music during its anticipated festival run, the tour of festivals where small films seek buyers, reviews and awards, Deadline reported.
Friend Thing is produced by Bryce Cyrier, Honna Kimmerer and Ladd Moore. Casting is by Danielle Aufiero and Amber Horn, the team tasked with assembling the large young ensemble alongside the adult cast.
What makes this stand out is the balance. Experienced television and comedy performers sit beside musicians and a group of young actors early in their careers. For fans, this means the first glimpse is likely to come from the festival circuit rather than a cinema release date.
