©Courtesy of A24

A24 has revealed the initial trailer for the R-rated musical comedy “The Debut“, a film directed by Jesse Eisenberg, in which he co-stars alongside Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti.

Dubbed “Whiplash” within the community and the wider world, the story follows Mona Friedman, a shy and unassuming housewife from small-town New Jersey who is cast in a minor role at a local theater.

She metamorphoses into an enthusiastic method actor, ready to do anything to safeguard the artistic authenticity of her small part – up to the point of engaging in a battle with the show’s controlling director (Giamatti).

Eisenberg portrays a colleague in the troupe, while Halle Bailey portrays someone who offers Mona advice. Craig Bierko, Eldar Isgandarov, Bernadette Peters, and Cara Buono are co-stars in the film.

Eisenberg wrote the script, with Emma Stone, Dave McCary, and Ali Herting serving as producers for Topic Studios and Fruit Tree. Eisenberg most recently helmed “A Real Pain,” which earned Kieran Culkin an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor.