There are many references in the film about Debets’ resemblance to Oscar winning actor Adrien Brody but the Frenchman was working an office job instead of pursuing the acting career he dreamed of.

“I wrote the script for him,” Bushman said. “The short film we made together was his first acting role and he was so good. He was getting some great reviews for his acting and it just got me thinking, what would it be like if someone like my friend Eric showed up in Hollywood to become a star. The story is universal. That’s why I came here. Adding the French element gave it some cultural perspective.”

“From the get-go, this project has always been kind of inspired by The Wizard of Oz of all things. In writing the script, I was using the heroes’ journey and it just seemed to make sense that Jerome would come upon three characters who he meets along the way who really kind of impart some knowledge to him: a pot dealer who’s HIV-positive, a jaded-about-Hollywood drag queen (Michael Airington), and a tranny hooker (Diarra Kilpatrick).

Chad Allen’s participation certainly has helped the film’s profile. Said Bushman: “I have been a big fan of Chad’s work forever, especially with his recent film Save Me which just really kind of changed my opinion about him. I was like, ‘Whoa! He’s not just good to look at – he’s really deep. He was the first one we thought of for this role.”

Allen’s supporting role has him appearing in several scenes throughout the moviue but it is the novice actor who is in every single scene.

“It was very fantastic to work with American actors,” said Debets, whose English in the film is far more fluent than what he can speak in real life. “I am proud to be in this movie and to be working with Chad. He’s a good actor and we had a good chemistry. For me, it’s the first feature-length movie and I worked in Hollywood which is the dream.”