Based on Devin Sidell’s true story, LOVE, DANIELLE is the first scripted feature film to explore the emotional rollercoaster of carrying a BRCA gene mutation, before a cancer diagnosis
Latasha M. Ford with Awards Buzz had an opportunity to speak with and interview the talented cast of ‘Love, Danielle’ a few days prior to its premiere. I had the privilege of conversing with Lesley Ann Warren, Amy Byer Shainman, Michael Roark, and Raymond Cruz.
Our discussions revolved around the film’s poignant themes, including BRCA Gene Mutation, cancer, complex family dynamics, men being diagnosed with cancer, and women confronting difficult choices. We also touched upon the unique energy present on set and how it shifted with each scene. Check out interviews below:
Raymond Cruz on “Well, you know, 1% 0 of males, suffer from breast cancer, and this is not widely known. I had a personal connection with this because my own sister, she developed stage 4 lung cancer. And from the time of her diagnosis till when she passed away was only a 6-month journey.
About ‘Love, Danielle’:
‘Love, Danielle’ stands out as the first scripted feature film to delve into the experience of living with a BRCA gene mutation before a cancer diagnosis. This film courageously addresses the emotional challenges, medical decisions, and family upheavals that can follow such a discovery, a narrative rarely depicted on screen until now.
A particularly powerful aspect of the film is that Devin Sidell, who portrays Danielle, is BRCA1-positive in real life. Her personal journey deeply informs the character, as she underwent preventative oophorectomy and hysterectomy in 2016, and a preventative double mastectomy in 2017. Ms. Sidell bravely filmed scenes for ‘Love, Danielle’ before her breast reconstruction, openly revealing her scars and expanders to offer audiences an authentic and unfiltered look at these deeply personal decisions.
Amy Byer Shainman shares her experience with the BRCA1 gene mutation and the preventative surgeries she underwent in 2010 in the interview below.
“Yes, I’m also a BRCA1 gene mutation carrier, and I underwent preventative surgeries back in 2010, a bilateral prophylactic mastectomy and removal of my ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus, because my sister and I also had that family history of uterine cancer.”
Official Trailer:
The heartfelt, humorous and honest film LOVE, DANIELLE releases on October 3, 2025!
