Chris Rock premieres fourth directorial feature Misty Green starring Rosalind Eleazar at TIFF

Toronto premiere and production background

Chris Rock presented his fourth feature film as director, Misty Green, at the Toronto International Film Festival. The feature arrives 12 years after his 2014 film Top Five, following earlier directorial releases with Head of State in 2003 and I Think I Love My Wife in 2007. Rock originated the screenplay after participating in a group voiceover recording session, where he observed several actresses who had previously starred in hit television sitcoms taking day-rate voice work to maintain their livelihoods. Moving away from standard comedy formats, Rock crafted the film as a character study exploring the vulnerabilities, racial dynamics, and gender barriers confronting Black performers in Los Angeles. The opening sequence sets this setting through a visual montage contrasting gala premieres and Santa Monica sunsets with downtown tent encampments and street poverty.

Character narrative and career decline

British actress Rosalind Eleazar, known for her role in the television series Slow Horses, plays the title character of Misty Green. Misty is an actress in her late 30s whose career peaked when she won a Best Supporting Actress Emmy for the 2008–2009 season on the cult thriller series Red Eye, a program that originally aired following Scandal. In the film's timeline, she faces eviction from an oceanview residence following the death of an older benefactor who previously financed her housing. Her financial distress coincides with personal responsibilities, including providing care and money for her bipolar brother following his discharge from a psychiatric ward. Misty contends with impulse-control issues and substance use involving alcohol, cocaine, and pills, while resisting lower-tier audition opportunities and clashing with production crews.

Her talent agent, portrayed by Topher Grace, confronts her about her career trajectory during an office argument.

Is Hollywood racist? Yup. Is it sexist? Fuck yeah, it is. But don't act like you never had a shot.

Supporting cast and audition subplot

Misty encounters an opportunity to revive her career through an audition for a prospective remake of Dreamgirls. Her friend Naomi, played by Anna Kendrick, attempts to assist her preparations by helping record a self-taped audition that Misty initially resists filming. However, Misty jeopardizes the opportunity after receiving a late-night message from Zack, an affluent tech figure played by Adam Driver who supplies cocaine to an entourage of women. Following an overnight party of clubbing and substance use with Zack, Misty arrives at her audition in disarray, where younger actors recognize her primarily through their parents' recollections of Red Eye. Beyond acting scenes, the role incorporates musical performances, with Eleazar performing lounge-style covers of Radiohead songs at a hotel bar.

Festival circuit and distribution plans

Following its initial screening in Toronto, the film is scheduled to appear at the New York Film Festival before reaching commercial cinemas. Studio distributor A24 secured distribution rights for the title and set a theatrical release for 9 October 2026. The production presents a leading film showcase for Eleazar, whose past screen credits include British television productions such as Harlots and Missing You, alongside feature appearances in The Personal History of David Copperfield and Rose of Nevada. Rock also wrote the screenplay, marking his fourth writing credit on a self-directed feature.