Clea DuVall to Write, Direct Perfume & Pain Series Adaptation for Legendary Television (

 Posted on August 23, 2024  |  4 minutes  |  774 words  |  Reinaldo Massengill

Legendary Television has acquired the rights to the Anna Dorn novel “Perfume & Pain” with Clea DuVall set to write and direct, Variety has learned exclusively.

The book is described as a “a sexy and twisted character drama following a hopelessly romantic and equally reckless sapphic novelist on the verge of superstardom and simultaneously total self-destruction – depending which way the wind blows and what pill she pops next. Astrid will need to write her own deliverance into healing, true love, and success… before she succumbs to the vices that threaten to tear her apart.”

The book was originally published in the U.S. on May 21 by Simon & Schuster. Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler will produce under their Killer Films banner.

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Dorn’s other works include “Exalted,” “Bad Lawyer,” and “Vagablonde.” Her next novel, “American Spirits,” is forthcoming from Simon & Schuster. She is repped by Gersh and Sanford J. Greenburger Associates for publishing.

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DuVall is a celebrated actress, writer, director, and producer. She made her feature directorial debut with the indie comedy “The Intervention.” DuVall wrote, co-produced, and starred in the film alongside Natasha Lyonne and Jason Ritter. It won the special jury prize at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival. DuVall recently co-created the Fox animated series “HouseBroken,” on which she also an executive producer and voice actor. Her other credits include the Amazon Freevee series “High School” and the romantic comedy “Happiest Season.”

She is repped by UTA and Ginsburg Daniels Kallis.

Vachon and Koffler co-founded Killer Films in 1995. In that time, the company has produced features like “Kids,” “I Shot Andy Warhol,” “Boys Don’t Cry,” “Hedwig and the Angry Inch,” “One Hour Photo,” “Beatriz at Dinner,” and “Dark Waters.” Most recently, Killer Films has been behind films like “May December” and “Past Lives,” as well as shows like “Mildred Pierce” and “Halston.”

(Pictured: Clea DuVall; Anna Dorn)

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