Julianne Moore To Star In Pedro Almodóvar’s English Debut Film ‘The Room Next Door’

Spanish filmmaker Pedro Almodóvar has officially confirmed Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton as the dual leads in his upcoming English-language film, The Room Next Door. Along with the addition of John Turturro, the casting announcement was made by Almodóvar’s production company, El Deseo, following months of speculation and online rumours.

What do we know about The Room Next Door?

Set to be filmed in the spring in both New York and Madrid, The Room Next Door explores a complex narrative centred on a flawed mother-daughter relationship marked by a significant misunderstanding. Ingrid, portrayed by Julianne Moore is a friend of Martha (played by Tilda Swinton)’s mother who becomes a witness to the pain and bitterness each character harbours.

Martha who is a war reporter and Ingrid, an autofiction novelist bring unique perspectives to the depiction of reality and address the limitless cruelty of wars. The film dives into themes of death, friendship, and sexual pleasure and presents these elements as essential allies in the face of horror. The story unfolds in a house situated in the heart of a nature reserve in New England.

The Room Next Door is Pedro Almodóvar’s official English language debut

This marks Almodóvar’s return to feature-length projects since Parallel Mothers in 2021 which earned Penelope Cruz the Best Actress prize at the Venice Film Festival.  The Room Next Door stands as Almodóvar’s second recent endeavour into English-language filmmaking followed by his departure from the directing duties of A Manual for Cleaning Women in 2022, a project originally set to star and be produced by Cate Blanchett.

Tilda Swinton had previously hinted at her involvement in The Room Next Door during an interview with a French culture magazine where she cited her collaboration with Almodóvar on the short film The Human Voice. The film promised to capture the nuanced dynamics of its central characters against the backdrop of war and the writers' varied approaches to reality.