Amanda Peet Returns to Film After a Decade—Thanks to a Role Written by a Fellow Actor That She Couldn’t Refuse
This interview was first published on March 7, 2025, as part of SXSW Film & TV Festival coverage. Greenwich Entertainment will release the film in theaters on Friday, March 27, 2026
According to CinemaDrame News Agency, Matthew Shear spoke with IndieWire about how his own career anxieties inspired his directorial debut, “Fantasy Life,” while Peet explains why she couldn’t say no to a role centered on discovering “the next act of life.”
Just a month ago, Amanda Peet experienced a humorous and slightly embarrassing moment in front of her two teenage daughters at a grocery store: someone recognized her—but mistook her for Lake Bell and praised her work. It has happened so often that Peet asked Matthew Shear, the film’s director and co-star, to include it in the script.
This film marks not only Matthew Shear’s first feature as a director (known for “The Alienist”), but also Amanda Peet’s first theatrical film role in nearly a decade. Peet, who has remained active in television with projects like “Fatal Attraction” and “Dirty John,” was shocked to realize it had been 10 years since her last film, saying: “Wait, really? That’s depressing!”
In “Fantasy Life,” Matthew Shear plays Sam, a former law student whose anxiety has eroded his confidence. After losing his job, he becomes a nanny for the grandchildren of his therapist (played by Judd Hirsch), which draws him into the world of their parents: David (Alessandro Nivola), a dreamer rock star, and his wife Diane (Amanda Peet), a former film star.
Shear says the idea for the screenplay came during a long break between seasons of “The Alienist,” when he was experiencing a creative lull: “I wanted to write about a shared experience many actors go through—those uncertain gaps between projects. I also wanted to empathize with women in their 50s who, despite strong careers, suddenly face a lack of roles.”
Amanda Peet says she was drawn to the role immediately: “Matthew’s writing was special. He’s very funny, and I really connected with Diane—a former actress whose career has slowed down, trying to balance motherhood while still keeping one foot in the film world. I just look for good scripts.”
Peet also revealed a unique “alarm clock test” she uses to choose roles, developed with her close friend Sarah Paulson: “We pretend it’s 4:50 a.m. and we have to wake up for work. If, in that moment, you genuinely want to get up and do the role, then it’s a yes.”
Alessandro Nivola, who plays Peet’s husband in the film, spoke warmly about the collaboration. He and Peet, longtime friends from 1990s New York (and briefly romantically involved), had long wanted to work together. Nivola said: “When Amanda called me and asked me to do it, there was only one logical answer: finally.”
The ensemble cast includes Judd Hirsch, Bob Balaban, Holland Taylor, Jessica Harper, and Andrea Martin. The fact that an actor is behind the camera (Matthew Shear) was especially appealing to everyone. Nivola wrote: “Actors often become good directors because they prioritize performance above everything else.”
One of the film’s standout moments is its final dinner scene, which brings the entire cast together around one table. Peet reflects: “I don’t want to sound sentimental, but I found myself thinking I had been away from film for 10 years, and now at 53 I’m sitting at a table with legends like Bob Balaban, still working in this industry. It felt incredible.”
“Fantasy Life” premiered at the 2025 SXSW Film Festival.
