Cleveland indie nabs 'SNL' alum Abby Elliott, TV veteran Breckin Meyer

Abby Elliott joins 'Anhedonia,' set to shoot in Cleveland May 1

Abby Elliott and Breckin Meyer are coming to Cleveland. They are set to star in Anhedonia, the new feature from 1031 Films’ Eric Swinderman and Carmen DeFranco. Filming begins May 1 at locations around Northeast Ohio.

Elliott, an alum of Saturday Night Live, is best known for her roles on How I Met Your Mother, Odd Mom Out, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It may not be Elliott’s first time in Cleveland, either. She played Lara in Fun Size, which shot in Cleveland in 2012.

Meyer starred as Jared Franklin on Franklin & Bash and is well known for roles in Road Trip, Clueless and Garfield.

Also joining the cast is Giselle Eisenberg, who stars as Sophia in Life in Pieces, and Cleveland’s own Debra Herzog, who had a supporting part on Outsiders and serves as a producer on Anhedonia.

Other local stars include Bryant Carroll, Allen O’Reilly, Jonathan Chiarle, and Katherine DeBoer. More roles will soon be cast.

Elliott and Breckin Meyer

Dark subjects, big questions

Anhedonia tells the tale of Casey (Meyer), who meets struggling single mom Jess (Elliott) and her eccentric young daughter (Eisenberg) after receiving a substantial inheritance from a long lost relative. Past struggles make him question whether money and love make life worth living.

“While the film deals with such dark subjects as suicide, mental illness and gun violence,” says Swinderman, “there are funny and romantic moments that keep the story light enough to appeal to all audiences.”

The movie will shoot on location all around the city, including University Hospitals and RTA.

“I love shooting in northeast Ohio,” says Swinderman. “The weather is always a concern, but the people are amazing. I’m always taken aback at how many people are willing to open up their businesses and homes to us just so we can make our movie.”

Swinderman is set to direct the $250,000 film from a script he co-wrote with DeFranco. Swinderman and DeFranco will produce alongside Jami Kinton and Herzog. Executive producers include Elliott, Gene Ptacek, Mark Pauley and Joe Dike.

“I am beyond excited to get started on this project. It’s been three years in the making. We have a brilliant cast and the best crew I could ask for,” says Swinderman.

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