Shailene Woodley to Star as Long-Distance Runner in Psychological Thriller ULTRA
Shailene Woodley is lacing up for one of the most grueling challenges of her career, both physically and emotionally. The Divergent and Big Little Lies star is set to lead Ultra, a psychological thriller set against the brutal backdrop of an ultramarathon through Death Valley.
The film is being written and directed by Victoria Negri, whose real-life experience as an ultramarathon runner inspired the story. Negri previously helmed Gold Star and the short documentary Personal Best, both deeply rooted in personal resilience and human endurance.
Ultra follows Eve (Woodley), a woman haunted by the tragic death of her twin sister. In an effort to cope, she takes on the Badwater 135 Ultramarathon, which is a 135-mile race through Death Valley where temperatures can reach 54°C (129°F).
As Eve pushes through the punishing terrain, she becomes aware of a mysterious figure, a runner dressed in white, relentlessly closing in on her. The deeper she goes into the race, the more Eve is forced to confront her own grief, fear, and the limits of her mind and body.
Negri explained that the project comes from a deeply personal place.
“Tragic circumstances, for better or worse, are transformative, and Ultra is a film born from that experience. My father was a distance runner, left paralyzed by a stroke. Running, the thing that gave him life, was taken from him. He suffered, and finally succumbed.
“While finding my emotional footing, I grew to become an ultrarunner, since completing two 100-mile races, numerous 50 milers and many marathons. It’s through testing my limits in each of these epic races that I process loss — physical pain being the greatest metaphor for the emotional. Although my grief is always with me, I’ve learned I’m strong enough to handle it, to handle anything.”
She added that Ultra was written from this “intense personal journey,” using running as a cinematic vehicle to explore the ways we process grief.
“Whether we carry it with us by our side, or see it in the rearview mirror, we’re never able to outrun its lingering presence.” As a long-distance runner myself, I can definitely relate to this.
Ultra marks another exciting addition to Woodley’s packed slate. She’s joining the second season of Hulu’s political thriller Paradise, starring in Netflix’s Unabom, and producing and appearing in Count My Lies for Hulu alongside Lindsay Lohan.
She’s also set to produce and portray Janis Joplin in the upcoming biopic about the legendary musician. Recently, Woodley appeared opposite Alan Ritchson in the action-thriller Motor City, which screened at both the Venice and Toronto International Film Festivals.
Ultra promises to be a gripping test of willpower and survival.