Lois Smith Joins The Cast Of OUTSIDE OF CLEVELAND Alongside Alex Wolff

Tony Award-winning actress Lois Smith has joined the cast of Outside of Cleveland, an upcoming fantasy dramedy from writer and director Colin West. The film also stars Alex Wolff, Brooklynn Prince, Jim Gaffigan, Sarah Wayne Callies, and Michael Ian Black.

According to Variety, Smith will portray Marjorie, the grandmother of the film’s central character, Max, played by Wolff. The character holds a particularly personal significance for West, who drew inspiration from his own grandmother when developing the role.

Outside of Cleveland follows Max, a Chicago-based jingle writer who finds himself questioning the direction of his life. When his parents decide to sell his childhood home outside of Cleveland, he returns to help them pack, only to unexpectedly find himself transported back to the winter of 2009, when he was 18 years old. 

West described Smith’s character as someone who reflects the honesty and wisdom of his own grandmother, emphasizing the importance of finding an actress who could balance warmth with strength. He stated, “She isn’t there to comfort Max or make things easier; she’s there to tell him the truth. The character needed to be tough yet warm, and Lois embodies that. She had such a wonderful attitude throughout, and she brought tears to my eyes on more than one occasion. Having a legend like her bring my grandmother’s spirit to the screen means more to me than I can say.”

At 96 years old, Smith continues an extensive career spanning more than seven decades across film, television, and theater. She made her screen debut opposite James Dean in the 1955 film East of Eden and has since appeared in numerous acclaimed productions, including Five Easy Pieces, Dead Man Walking, Minority Report, Twister, Lady Bird, and The French Dispatch.

Her performance in the 2017 film Marjorie Prime earned her nominations from the Gotham Awards and Independent Spirit Awards, among other honors. Her television credits include True Blood, The Americans, Ray Donovan, and Law & Order: Organized Crime.

Smith also has a celebrated stage career, earning Tony Award nominations for The Grapes of Wrath and Buried Child. In 2021, she won the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Play for her performance in The Inheritance, becoming the oldest performer to win an acting Tony Award at the time.

A release date for Outside of Cleveland has not yet been announced.