Heather Graham embarks on a new path to self-care and love Chosen family.
The actress and director wrote and stars in the new romantic drama, which also marks her second feature film directorial project after 2018. Half Magic.
Chosen family follows yoga teacher Ann (Graham), who “can’t escape her manic family, miserable dating life and inability to say no, so she’s constantly trying to solve other people’s problems,” according to the synopsis. “But can she finally put herself first when a new love walks into her life?”
Speaking about the film, for which PEOPLE has an exclusive trailer, Graham, 54, says it “was a labor of love” that “took a long time to make.”
“It’s kind of a journey of this woman who’s kind of a people pleaser and thinks she needs to take care of everyone else, and that’s going to make her happy,” she continues. “That’s when he realizes he has to take care of himself and go where the love is. And it’s about how sometimes your friends are actually your family.”
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Heather Graham and Julia Stiles in The Chosen Family.
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In the trailer, Ann meets Steve (played by him Fuller House star John Brotherton) and sparks fly quickly between them. But challenges come for Anna in the form of winning over his young daughter Lilly (Ella Grace Helton) – and clashing with her much different sister Clio (Julia Stiles).
Near the end of the announcement, Clio tells Ann while they’re in front of the outdoor crowd, “Yoga sucks,” trying to get the crowd more into what she calls “punch-ilates.”
The women are soon rolling on the floor, after Ann pushes Clio, who punches her older sister in the face.
But everything seems to be okay in the end as Ann asks Steve, “You still want to hang out with me after all that?”, before they share a passionate kiss.
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John Brotherton and Heather Graham in The Chosen Family.
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Chosen family also starring Andrea Savage, Michael Gross, Julie Halston and Thomas Lennon. The film was produced by Graham, Michael A. Nickles, Anthony Gudas, Chad A. Verdi, Andre Relis, Michelle Verdi, Chad Verdi Jr. and Paul Luba, with co-producers David Gere and Chelsea Vale.
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When asked what made her want to write Chosen familyGraham tells PEOPLE, “Growing up in the business, I just love watching content made by women and movies starring women and stories that empower women.”
“And I’m not trying to force anyone to hire me,” she adds. “I want to tell my own story that I hope is empowering for women and men. I hope men find it empowering too… just to be able to say something that’s important to me.”
Chosen family is in theaters and on demand on October 11.
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Source: HIS Education