Joslyn Rose Lyons Makes Directorial Debut With ‘Shadowbox’ Starring Hill Harper, J. Alphonse Nicholson

EXCLUSIVE: Hill Harper and J. Alphonse Nicholson have signed to star in Shadowbox, a new film marking the directorial debut of Joslyn Rose Lyons.

Written by Rose Lyons, Shadowbox is described as a “sweeping fable, employing magical realism to chronicle a city threatened by gentrification and at risk of losing its dreams.” Harper and Nicholson will also executive produce. Harper and Nicholson recently completed shooting the short Butterfly Boxing that was directed and written by Rose Lyons. Filmed in Oakland, the short is being used as a development tool for the feature film.

“I’m honored to have Hill Harper and J. Alphonse Nicholson star and executive produce my directorial debut film,” Rose Lyons said. “They are amazing talent, and have been an inspiration on my journey, so to be able to officially work with them is an honor.”

For more than a decade, Lyons has directed and produced content for outlets like Starz, Lionsgate, UNINTERRUPTED, Warner Bros, BET, MTV, and OWN. She also served as a producer on Barbara Lee: Speaking Truth to Power, winner of this year’s 53rd NAACP Image Awards for Outstanding Documentary.

Harper is most notably known for his role on CSI: NY. He currently stars in ABC’s The Good Doctor as Dr. Marcus Andrews. Nicholson is set to star as Lil Murda in the Starz series P-Valley that’s set to return this summer.