CAST OF JOY RIDE TO RECEIVE CINEMACON® COMEDY ENSEMBLE OF THE YEAR AWARD

LIONSGATE’S JOY RIDE TO SCREEN AT CINEMACON 2023

WASHINGTON D.C. and LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA (March 20, 2023) – The cast of Lionsgate’s Joy Ride will receive this year’s CinemaCon® Comedy Ensemble of the Year Award, Mitch Neuhauser, Managing Director of CinemaCon, announced today. CinemaCon, the official convention of NATO, will be held April 24-27, 2023, at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. The cast of Joy Ride will be presented with this special honor at the Big Screen Achievement Awards ceremony taking place on the evening of Thursday, April 27, at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace and hosted by official presenting sponsor The Coca-Cola Company.

Following a raucous and critically acclaimed debut at this year’s SXSW, Lionsgate will bring Adele Lim’s directorial debut Joy Ride to the CinemaCon audience on the afternoon of Thursday, April 27. From the producers of Neighbors and the co-screenwriter of Crazy Rich Asians, Joy Ride stars Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Oscar® nominee Stephanie Hsu, and Sabrina Wu as four friends who embark on a once-in-a-lifetime wild and debaucherous international adventure. Directed by Adele Lim the film is set for release only in theaters on July 7, 2023. The screenplay is by Cherry Chevapravatdumrong & Teresa Hsiao, with a story by Cherry Chevapravatdumrong & Teresa Hsiao & Adele Lim. The film is produced by Point Grey’s Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, James Weaver, and Josh Fagen, alongside Cherry Chevapravatdumrong, Teresa Hsiao, and Adele Lim.

“The cast of Joy Ride delivers a fearless and over-the-top hilarious performance, one that will delight audiences with their hysterical, no-holds-barred journey through friendship and self-discovery. This brilliant group of actors captures the very essence of the messy human experience,” noted Neuhauser. “We are excited to recognize their outstanding work with this year’s CinemaCon® Comedy Ensemble of the Year Award and can’t wait for audiences to experience their unforgettable adventure.”

Tony, Grammy, and Critics Choice Award nominee Ashley Park can most recently be seen in Netflix’s hit series Emily in Paris, with the third season released in December 2022 and a fourth on the way. The actress can next be seen in Netflix’s upcoming series Beef, as well as Hulu’s critically acclaimed Only Murders in the Building. Park graced the big screen in last summer’s Mr. Malcolm’s List and can be seen in the Peacock comedy series Girls 5eva, Tales of the City (Netflix), and Nightcap (Pop/Lionsgate Television). Park is currently in production on Paramount Pictures’ upcoming Mean Girls movie, based on Tina Fey’s musical adaptation of the 2004 hit film. On Broadway, Park originated and starred as Gretchen Wieners in Mean Girls in 2018, earning Tony Award, Drama League, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, and Chita Rivera Award nominations. In the same season, she starred in the award-winning KPOP, and won the esteemed Lucille Lortel Award for Lead Actress in a Musical; she also earned her second Drama League and Drama Desk nominations. Additional Broadway credits include Mamma Mia!, The King and I, Sunday in the Park With George and Grand Horizons.

Actress, comedian, and writer Sherry Cola began her career with radio, stand-up, and improv. After a breakout role on Amazon’s I Love Dick, Cola quickly solidified her place in the industry, starring in various critically acclaimed series, such as Claws and Good Trouble. In film, Cola stars in Randall Park’s directorial debut Shortcomings, which made a splash at Sundance 2023 and was recently acquired by Sony Pictures Classics. She will next appear in Netflix’s feature film A Family Affair and Paramount’s animated feature The Tiger’s Apprentice opposite Sandra Oh.

Oscar® nominee Stephanie Hsu was most recently seen in the A24 Oscar® winning best picture Everything Everywhere All At Once. Her impressive television credits include a recurring role on the Emmy- and SAG Award-winning Amazon series The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, a guest-starring role on the Peacock anthology series Poker Face, and an upcoming guest appearance on the Disney+ series American Born Chinese. Hsu recently wrapped production on Universal’s The Fall Guy alongside fellow cast members Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, and Aaron Taylor-Johnson.

Actor, writer, and stand-up comedian Sabrina Wu was selected as one of the New Faces of Comedy at the 2022 Just for Laughs Comedy Festival in Montreal. They made their successful late-night stand-up debut on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon that October. Wu served as a staff writer on the Disney+ series Doogie Kameāloha M.D. and upcoming series for FX and Netflix. They recently sold their pilot It Gets Better to 20th Century Studios. 

About CinemaCon
CinemaCon attracts upwards of 6,000 motion picture professionals from all facets of the industry – from exhibition and distribution, to the equipment and concession areas – all on hand to celebrate the movie-going experience and the cinema industry.

CinemaCon is delighted to have both the International Cinema Technology Association (ICTA) and National Association of Concessionaires (NAC) as its tradeshow partners. CinemaCon is also thrilled to have The Coca-Cola Company – one of the industry’s most highly regarded and respected partners in the world of the movies – as its official presenting sponsor.

About NATO
The National Association of Theatre Owners (NATO) is the largest exhibition trade organization in the world, representing more than 35,000 movie screens in all 50 states, and more than 32,000 screens in 100 countries worldwide. NATO’s membership includes the largest cinema chains in the world as well as hundreds of independent theatre owners.

Additional information on CinemaCon, as well as an application to apply for press credentials, can be found at www.cinemacon.com.

Media Contact
Heather Lewandoski
615.519.1747
Hlewandoski@me.com