Daniel Zolghadri Replaces Charles Melton in 'My Darling California'

Daniel Zolghadri will replace Charles Melton in Elijah Bynum's Los Angeles crime thriller "My Darling California," Variety has exclusively revealed. Melton has dropped out of the project; his representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the exit.

Zolghadri, best known for his breakout lead role in Prime Video's sci-fi drama series "Tales From the Loop" and a recent supporting turn in "Lurker," will play Kent. According to an official description, Kent is a young man "who is caught in an escalating conflict that quickly spirals beyond his control" and "forced to confront long-buried questions" after a figure from his past unexpectedly reemerges.

The film shoots entirely in California and carries a high-wattage ensemble: Jessica Chastain, Chris Pine, Chris Evans, Mikey Madison and Don Cheadle. Its official logline reads: "In 1980 Los Angeles, a televangelist (and his newscaster wife) struggle to contain a multi-faceted scandal that could ruin their careers."

The casting marks a significant step up for Zolghadri, who built his career gradually. He held small roles in Bo Burnham's "Eighth Grade" and HBO's "Fahrenheit 451" before leading "Tales From the Loop." Recent film work includes supporting roles in "Y2K," "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You" and "Lurker." His most recent credit is Alexandrea Pechman's drama "Magazine," which premiered earlier this month at the Toronto International Festival — a platform that has historically accelerated actors into larger-profile projects.

His slate is filling fast. Zolghadri will soon star in "The Temple" from directors Yonah Lewis and Calvin Thomas, and in Annie Baker's "Ancient History" for A24.

Bynum wrote and directs "My Darling California." He broke through with the A24 drama "Hot Summer Nights," starring Timothée Chalamet, and followed it with "Magazine Dreams" in 2023, starring Jonathan Majors.

The production team behind "My Darling California" is led by producers David Hinojosa, Alex Coco and Sébastien Raybaud, alongside Scott Budnick and Ameet Shukla of 1Community and Emily Blavatnik and Danny Cohen of Access Entertainment. Len Blavatnik, owner of Access Entertainment, and Zach Nutman of 2AM serve as executive producers.

Anton produced, backed and sold the film, and also handled international sales. Anton and CAA Media Finance co-represent U.S. and global rights — an arrangement that positions the picture as a major sales title ahead of its release.

Zolghadri is repped by UTA and Circle Management + Production. With a principal role opposite Chastain, Pine, Evans, Madison and Cheadle, the recasting hands the 1980-set thriller a rising performer whose 2025 festival and indie run now leads directly into one of the most closely watched ensembles of the season.