"Ella McCay" Trailer: Emma Mackey Leads a Dysfunctional Family as a Newly Elected Governor in James L. Brooks’ First Film in 15 Years
The Sex Education star leads a stacked ensemble in Brooks’ first film in 15 years, a heartfelt political comedy co-starring Woody Harrelson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Ayo Edebiri, and Albert Brooks.
Legendary Oscar-winning filmmaker James L. Brooks hasn’t directed a feature film in nearly a decade and a half, since the 2010 comedy How Do You Know. At age 85, one might assume Brooks had quietly retired from directing, perhaps content to remain behind the scenes as a producer—especially given his long-running and lucrative involvement as one of the main producers of The Simpsons franchise. Hell, the money he gets from that alone could keep him comfortably on the sidelines forever.
But fans of his ‘80s and ‘90s comedies (count us as one of them) have always wondered if he’d come back to do at least one more movie. Over the last few years, Brooks has remained active as a producer and mentor to filmmaker Kelly Fremon Craig on her critically acclaimed coming-of-age comedies The Edge of Seventeen (2016) and Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret. (2023)—two films that felt like they came from the same emotional and character-driven DNA as Brooks' own work.
And word is Brooks is making a return later this year with Ella McCay, his first movie in 15 years. The film's first official trailer has just dropped, giving us a glimpse at what the legendary filmmaker behind Broadcast News, As Good as It Gets, and Terms of Endearment has been cooking up.
The verdict? Well, it kind of looks like a combination of all those movies he’s done before. So expect a healthy dose of nostalgia. Because while the story is set in the present day, it feels like it was ripped straight out of 1997.
So, is that a good thing? Well, depending on who you ask, it might mean Brooks hasn’t lost a step and is simply continuing where he left off… or it might suggest he’s stuck in a time that frankly doesn’t exist anymore.
Either way, for better or worse, this feels like a James L. Brooks movie through and through. Complete with a strong female protagonist facing family issues that are colliding with her career, it checks all the classic Brooks boxes. She’s surrounded by a circle of oddball and idiocratic characters—including her brother, father, aunt, husband, and her secretary, who also happens to serve as the film’s onscreen narrator. It’s cute overload, only it’s about overwhelming anxiety from a high-pressure job and a dysfunctional family. Ella McCay might just make it—if she can only learn to scream out her frustration. Yes, it’s very James L. Brooks–y. And we wouldn’t want it any other way.
Emma Mackey—the breakout star of Netflix’s teen sex comedy series Sex Education, who also appeared as Physicist Barbie in the blockbuster Barbie and is constantly compared to Margot Robbie (they share such a similar look, they could be sisters)—takes the lead in this film. While she’s starred in a few indie dramas (Hot Milk, Emily) since her breakout on Sex Ed, this marks perhaps her first major leading role in a high-profile studio feature. And here, Emma Mackey has the honor of stepping into the lineage of iconic James L. Brooks female leads—joining the ranks of Helen Hunt in As Good as It Gets, Debra Winger in Terms of Endearment, and of course, Holly Hunter in Broadcast News.
In the film, Mackey plays the titular Ella McCay, an idealistic woman who, at 34, has just been elected as the new governor of her home state. As she prepares to face the staggering weight of her new political position, she’s suddenly hit with a wave of personal turmoil, including the unexpected return of her estranged father (played by an unkempt-looking Woody Harrelson), whose presence stirs up old emotional wounds and memories of her beloved late mother (portrayed by Rebecca Hall in flashbacks).
Jamie Lee Curtis co-stars as Ella’s aunt Helen, a well-meaning yet overbearing figure who shares the burden of keeping Ella happy at all costs. She’s joined by Spike Fearn (Alien: Romulus) as Ella’s listless younger brother Casey, who has his own issues with a woman he loves (played by The Bear’s Ayo Edebiri) but can’t seem to connect emotionally.
The cast also includes Jack Lowden (Slow Horses) as Ella’s frustrated husband, Ryan, who resents how her new job is pulling them further apart. Comic legend Julie Kavner (best known as the voice of Marge Simpson) plays Estelle, Ella’s longtime secretary who adores her—and also serves as the film’s narrator, frequently breaking the fourth wall to speak directly to the audience.
Comedian Kumail Nanjiani plays Ella’s personal security detail, a state trooper, while the legendary Albert Brooks takes on the role of Governor Bill, the state’s long-serving incumbent who’s stepping down and might just have a few pearls of wisdom for Ella as she takes the reins.
Written, directed, and produced by James L. Brooks, Ella McCay is set to open in theaters December 12th.
