Mia McKenna-Bruce joins Amazon MGM’s racing romance 'Throttled'

Mia McKenna-Bruce joins Amazon MGM's 'Throttled', based on Lauren Asher's bestselling Dirty Air romance book series

Mia McKenna-Bruce has joined the cast of Throttled, Amazon MGM Studios’ upcoming romance film based on Lauren Asher’s bestselling Dirty Air book series.

The English actress will star alongside Nicole Wallace, Josh Heuston and Julio Peña in the adaptation, Deadline reported.

McKenna-Bruce will portray Sophie Mitchell, the daughter of a powerful figure in the racing world. The character is a fan favourite in Asher’s book series and takes centre stage in its second instalment, Collided.

Directed by Nzingha Stewart, Throttled follows Maya Alatorre, played by Wallace, an ambitious woman who joins her older brother, portrayed by Peña, on the Formula One racing circuit. Her journey takes an unexpected turn when she develops a forbidden romance with Noah Slade, her brother’s ruthless teammate and fiercest racing rival, played by Heuston.

Melissa Osborne has adapted the screenplay for the film. Producers include Max Handelman and Elizabeth Banks of Brownstone Productions, Jennifer Gibgot and Andrew Panay of Ethea Entertainment, and Garrett Grant. Lauren Asher and Alison Small are executive producers.

Amazon MGM Studios announced its acquisition of the project for streaming earlier this month.

McKenna-Bruce gained recognition for her leading performance in How to Have Sex, Molly Manning Walker’s coming-of-age drama that won the Un Certain Regard prize at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival. Her performance earned her the BAFTA Rising Star Award and the lead performance prize at the 2023 British Independent Film Awards.

The actress will next appear opposite Taron Egerton in the dark comedy Everybody Wants to Fck Me*, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival. She is also set to portray Maureen Starkey, the first wife of Barry Keoghan’s Ringo Starr, in Sam Mendes’ upcoming The Beatles – A Four-Film Cinematic Event.

With its Formula One setting and forbidden romance, Throttled adds another adaptation of a popular romance novel to Amazon MGM’s growing film slate.