Odessa Young Has Stepped In To Replace Riley Keough In 'Masculinity Cult' Thriller Manodrome

Odessa Young is taking over the role originally set to be played by Riley Keough in the upcoming thriller "Manodrome," which co-stars Jesse Eisenberg and Adrien Brody. Young's star has been on the rise in the 2020s with her role opposite Elizabeth Moss in "Shirley" and her performance as Frannie Goldsmith in the CBS adaptation of "The Stand." 

When news of Eisenberg, Brody, and Keough's casting first broke last year, Variety described "Manodrome" as a film about "an Uber driver and aspiring bodybuilder who is inducted into a libertarian masculinity cult and loses his grip on reality when his repressed desires are awakened." Keough has departed her role due to scheduling conflicts, but she will remain attached to the project as a producer.

In a statement to Deadline, Keough sounded very supportive of Young stepping in front of the camera in place of her, saying:

"Odessa is my favorite actor and I am so happy she's playing Sal. She's brought so much life to the character and we are honored to have had the opportunity to work with her."

"Manodrome" is written and directed by John Trengrove ("The Wound.") It co-stars Ethan Suplee, Philip Ettinger, and Georghe Murressean.

"Manodrome" is a project that wasn't on my radar until hearing this news, but Eisenberg's involvement and the log line of "an Uber driver and aspiring bodybuilder who is inducted into a libertarian masculinity cult" makes it sound quite similar in nature to "The Art of Self-Defense." That was the 2019 film, co-starring Imogen Poots and written and directed by Riley Keough, where Eisenberg starred as a bullied guy who enters the dojo to learn karate from a toxic sensei, played by Alessandro Nivola ("The Many Saints of Newark.") The phrase "masculinity cult" also brings to mind David Fincher's "Fight Club," which may well have been an inspiration.

Eisenberg just made his directorial debut at the Sundance Film Festival this week with "When You Finish Saving the World," but he's still keeping one foot in the world of acting even as he moves into the director's chair. As for Adrien Brody, he's kept busy with his own Stephen King TV adaptation, "Chapelwaite," on Epix. He also guest-starred in season 3 of HBO's "Succession," and he's set to play NBA coach Pat Riley in "Winning Time," McKay's upcoming HBO Max series about the rise of the L.A. Lakers basketball dynasty.

We'll keep you posted on "Manodrome" as production continues.