Julia Gardell, Hugo Weaving, Arlo Green and Elizabeth Hawthorne.

Today, Seymour Pictures revealed the cast for its upcoming erotic thriller feature Hold Still, the directorial debut from Orla Doyle. Leading the cast in the role of Claire is newcomer and producer Julia Gardell, who stars alongside Hugo Weaving (The Matrix, The Lord of the Rings), Arlo Green (Miles from Nowhere, Spit), Elizabeth Hawthorne (30 Days of Night) and Brit O’Rourke (One Lane Bridge). Principal photography is now underway across locations in Glenorchy and Queenstown, with filming scheduled to wrap in October, followed by post-production in Sydney.

The story unfolds as young photographer, Claire (Gardell), haunted by a premonition of her own death, arrives at an isolated artist’s residency in New Zealand, where she falls for a reclusive deer hunter (Green). But as the lines between desire and dread blur before her lens, she begins to suspect that fate brought her here for a reason, one she may not survive.

At just 25, Hold Still is Orla Doyle’s debut feature film as a writer director, and comes following her 2022 drama web series SIRENS, which garnered numerous awards at festivals internationally, including Best Direction and Best Student Series at the London International Web and Shorts Film Festival, before being acquired for ABC iView. The film is the second production from Australian indie collective Seymour Pictures, co-founded by Peter Skinner, Doyle, and Gardell.

Hold Still is produced by Peter Skinner (Two Ugly People) and Kaitlyn McMurtry, alongside Julia Gardell and Orla Doyle. Casting for the feature was led by Danny Long Casting, with additional ensemble roles filled by Bree Peters, Wesley Dowdell, Claire Waldron, Monish Anand and David Ciurlionis.

Speaking on set, Doyle said: “It’s a complete dream come true to be able to bring Hold Still to life with this incredible cast and crew amongst the most beautiful, wild and awe-inspiring New Zealand landscapes. I’ve been so fortunate that Glenorchy and its atmosphere-drenched surroundings have served as inspiration for this story from the very beginning, so to be here now surrounded by such a high calibre of talent, and all the friends and supporters we’ve made along the way, is truly an honour.”

Hold Still is currently in production. 

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