Based on Garrard Conley's memoir [1] of the same name, Boy Erased follows the story of a small-town teenager who gets outed to his devout parents and is pressured into attending a gay conversion therapy program hosted by his church. The delicate, important story deserves a lineup of talent that will do it justice, and that's exactly what it got. Helmed by director and writer Joel Edgerton, the film stars Lady Bird actor Lucas Hedges as its tender protagonist. Besides Hedges, the rest of the cast is a "revelation." Keep reading to find out the rest of the star-studded ensemble, from Nicole Kidman [2] to Flea (yes, that Flea).
Lucas Hedges
Lucas Hedges plays the main character, Jared Eamons, who is based on Garrard Conley. When outed to his parents, the small-town teenager confronts pressure to join a gay conversion therapy program.
Hedges has been in a few critically acclaimed projects as Danny in Lady Bird, Robbie in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri, and Patrick in Manchester by the Sea.
Nicole Kidman
Nicole Kidman [3] stars as Nancy, Jared's loving but conflicted mother. The real question to ask is what projects haven't we seen Kidman in? The Australian actress is a Hollywood darling with an Oscar, two Emmys, and five Golden Globes. A handful of her well-known projects include Lion, Moulin Rouge!, and Eyes Wide Shut. You'll also see her in upcoming films such as Aquaman and The Goldfinch. Lately, she's been receiving a lot of buzz for playing Celeste in HBO's Big Little Lies.
Russell Crowe
The New Zealander plays Marshall, Jared's devout pastor father. Like Kidman, Russell Crowe [4] is also a household name, best known for his roles as Maximus Decimus Meridius in Ridley Scott's Gladiator and John F. Nash in A Beautiful Mind. With a Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Academy Award under his belt, Crowe also stars alongside Jon Hamm [5] and Chris Hemsworth in the 2018 thriller Bad Times at the El Royale.
Cherry Jones
Cherry Jones plays Dr. Muldoon. Jones is a Broadway and television goddess, best known for her roles in the productions of The Heiress and Doubt. For her portrayal of the first female POTUS in 24, she earned an Emmy for best supporting actress. You also may have seen her as Susan in the "Nosedive" episode of Black Mirror and June's mother in The Handmaid's Tale [6].
Joel Edgerton
Not only did he write and direct Boy Erased, but the Australian filmmaker also takes on the role of Victor Sykes, the head therapist at the gay conversion therapy program. Star Wars fans may know Joel Edgerton from his role as Owen Lars in the prequel series. He has also recently appeared in Zero Dark Thirty, Loving, It Comes at Night, and Red Sparrow.
Madelyn Cline
Madelyn Cline will appear in the film as the character Chloe, whom Conley describes in his book as his high school girlfriend [7]. The Charleston native has played minor roles in series such as Stranger Things [8], The Originals, and Vice Principals.
Flea
Yup, just when you think that the film can't get any more stacked, it will feature Red Hot Chili Peppers bassist Flea (or Michael Balzary) as Brandon, who is Chloe's older gay brother in the original memoir. Besides his work in music, Flea also has a pretty robust body of work in film and television, best known for voicing Donnie Thornberry in the beloved Nickelodeon series The Wild Thornberrys. Recently, he has also appeared in Baby Driver.
Troye Sivan
Dance-pop fans are in for a treat. In Boy Erased, the South African music superstar will play Gary, a fellow program member at the gay conversion therapy camp. His song "Revelation" is notably used in the trailer. Besides producing bops with Ariana Grande [9], Sivan has been on the onscreen side of showbiz for a while, starring in movies such as X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Spud.
Xavier Dolan
The Canadian actor stars as Jon, a fellow program member. Besides acting, Dolan has written and directed eight feature films [10], including the Jury Prize winner Mommy.
Joe Alwyn
Joe Alwyn will star as Henry in Boy Erased. He's best known for leading Ang Lee's Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk and will also appear in period pieces The Favourite and Mary, Queen of Scots. OK, and yes, many of us also know him as Taylor Swift [11]'s handsome boyfriend.