Kelly Marie Tran to star as activist Amanda Nguyen in a powerful new film based on actual events

Kelly Marie Tran, Significant Productions, and Madica Productions aren’t going to take the recent attacks on sexual assault survivors lying down. Instead, they aim to make a powerful film starring Tran as the real-life activist Amanda Nguyen, founder and CEO of civil rights organization Rise. In addition to her starring role, Tran is producing the project chronicling Nguyen’s journey in writing and passing the Survivors’ Bill of Rights while galvanizing a global community of survivors and allies.

Nina Yang Bongiovi, Jeff Tahler, and Amanda Nguyen produce alongside Tran and are looking for Cannes Short Film Palme d’Or Winner Tang Yi to write and direct.

According to today’s press release about the untitled project, this endeavor follows the passage of a first-of-its-kind United Nations resolution focused solely on access to justice for sexual violence survivors, which was introduced by Sierra Leone and championed by Rise. The resolution agreed to by the U.N. earlier this month creates a global mechanism and collective commitment to ensuring remedies and rights for the 1.3 billion survivors of sexual violence across the globe.

Tran has followed Nguyen’s actions since the passage of the federal Survivors’ Bill of Rights in 2016. Both women share Vietnamese heritage, creating another connection beyond their passion for justice and equality.

“Over the years, Amanda’s activism has changed the lives of billions, as she continues to make our world safer for sexual assault survivors everywhere,” said Tran. “Her courage inspires me every day and I am honored to help tell her story.”

“I am deeply grateful to Kelly Marie Tran, Madica Productions and Significant Productions for telling not only my story, but also, the story of billions of survivors across the world who are fighting to have our voices heard and our rights recognized,” said Nguyen. 

“Stories are how we tell ourselves dreams are possible. Societal stigma silences rape survivors. My story is not mine alone. I hear from countless survivors the strength they gain from hearing other survivors share their story. My hope is that this will make them feel less alone. I am grateful to Kelly for her friendship, for her understanding of our shared Vietnamese American heritage and for her belief that this is a story worth telling.” 

Famous for playing Rose Tico in the Star Wars universe and voicing Maya in Disney’s Raya and the Last Dragon, Kelly Marie Tran is a fierce actress who knows the sting of abuse all too well. When Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi was released, Tran was relentlessly bullied by petulant fans of the franchise. After rising above the hate, Tran continued to bolster her career with significant live-action and voice-acting roles in film and television. The role of Nguyen feels perfect for her, and I’m anxious to learn more.