21-03-2025
Vivica A. Fox, Lynn Chen, Dwayne Perkins Board Multicultural Rom-Com ‘Love Bait' (EXCLUSIVE)
Lynn Chen, Vivica A. Fox and standup comedian Dwayne Perkins have boarded Romell Foster-Owens sophomore feature 'Love Bait,' according to its producer Quentin Lee of Margin Films who presents 'Love Bait' as well romantic comedy TV series 'Morning, Paris!' at the Series Mania Forum, running March 24-27 in Lille, France.
'In this politically charged era, with Trump trying to erase Diversity, Equity and Inclusion [DEI], I'm especially excited to produce this uniquely diverse, cross-cultural comedy. It feels like a family reunion getting to work with Lynn Chen, Koji Steven Sakai, Vivica A. Fox, Dwayne Perkins and Romell Foster-Owens – talented people I've admired and collaborated with over the years,' said Lee.
More from Variety
'Gossip Girl' Who? In Beta Film YA Thriller 'Shadow Leaks,' Based on Jonas Ems' Novel, All the Secrets Are Out
REinvent International Sales Boards Crime Series 'The Pushover' from 'Fatal Crossing' Creators (EXCLUSIVE)
Apple TV+ 'Carême' Turns World's First Celebrity Chef into Sex-Oozing Rock Star: 'We Spent Hours Looking at Lenny Kravitz and Mick Jagger'
'Love Bait' centers on a driven young Asian American woman (Chen) groomed by her traditional parents for corporate success, who hatches a bold plan to win their approval of her boyfriend. She hires a professional 'bad boyfriend' (Perkins) to make her real partner seem like the ideal choice. But as her scheme unfolds, she finds herself unexpectedly drawn to the charming imposter, leading to a hilariously twisted love triangle.
A longtime collaborator of Romell Foster-Owens, Fox, who also serves as executive producer, will play the mother, Mrs. Jones, to Perkin's professional 'bad boyfriend.'
Foster-Owens is the first African American woman to have directed a comedy feature, 'The Three Muscatels,' starring Richard Pryor in 1991.
'Love Bait'is co-penned by Perkins and Sakai and to be produced by Foster-Owens ('First Love,' 'Conflict of Interest') and Sakai ('The Commando,' 'The People I've Slept With') alongside Lee, whose stand-up comedy docu-series 'Comedy Invasion' won Best Comedy Special at the 2024 Canadian Screen Awards.
Perkins has previously starred opposite Chen in the Sakai-written comedic thriller 'Dying to Kill'(2016) and also the Sakai written narrative podcast 'Elucidity' (2024) from Voyage Media.
Chen also co-starred in the hit indie sex comedy 'The People I've Slept With' (2009), produced and written by Sakai, and produced and directed by Lee.
Meanwhile, 2024 Leo Award nominee Nadia Hatta (Netflix's 'Away') is set to star in 'Morning, Paris!,' the half-hour romantic comedy series from Lee, its creator and showrunner. The project was selected for the prestigious Canada-France Series Lab 2025, a joint venture between Series Mania, Telefilm Canada and CNC (French National Centre of Cinema).
'Love Bait' is set to begin production this Fall.
Best of Variety
New Movies Out Now in Theaters: What to See This Week
Oscars 2026: First Blind Predictions Including Timothée Chalamet, Emma Stone, 'Wicked: For Good' and More
What's Coming to Disney+ in March 2025
