The Debut follows Mona Friedman, a quiet and unassuming housewife whose life is unexpectedly transformed after landing a minor role in a local community theater production. Determined to prove herself, Mona throws herself into the performance with obsessive dedication, embracing method acting as she clashes with an intimidating director and slowly begins losing sight of the line between performance and reality. What starts as a modest community play gradually becomes an all-consuming pursuit of artistic validation.

Written and directed by Jesse Eisenberg, The Debut stars Julianne Moore alongside Paul Giamatti, Halle Bailey, Jesse Eisenberg, Bernadette Peters, Cara Buono, Craig Bierko, and Havana Rose Liu. The musical comedy marks Eisenberg’s third feature as a director following When You Finish Saving the World and the Academy Award-winning A Real Pain.