Karine Jean-Pierre is producing a thriller about dangerous secrets and power

Former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre is entering the movie business with a thriller about wealth, power, and the secrets people keep to protect both.Jean-Pierre has signed on to produce Terroir, which follows a migrant farmworker and a disgraced wine critic drawn into the dangerous world of a prestigious family vineyard. For the Black lesbian immigrant who broke barriers as President Joe Biden’s chief spokesperson, the project adds filmmaking to a public career that has since included a memoir and a break with the Democratic Party.The project, announced Thursday and still in development, was written by Jesse Harris, who will also direct. His previous thriller, Borrego, starred Lucy Hale. Production is targeted for spring 2027.Jean-Pierre sees a connection between the work ahead and her job at the White House.Related: Karine Jean-Pierre on misinformation, the White House, and making queer history (exclusive)“People may see politics and filmmaking as completely different worlds, but I actually see a lot of overlap,” she told The Advocate exclusively. “The biggest difference is that behind the White House podium, you’re responding to events in real time and communicating under intense pressure. Filmmaking is a longer creative process.”“But at their core, both are about storytelling, bringing people together around an idea, and connecting with an audience in a meaningful way.”Jean-Pierre served as press secretary for more than two years and eight months, from May 2022 through the end of Biden’s presidency in January 2025 — longer than her two immediate successors combined. Karoline Leavitt served about 19 months under President Donald Trump before leaving in August to spend more time with her children. Leavitt’s replacement, Katie Zacharia, was removed in October after only five days.Born in Martinique to Haitian parents, Jean-Pierre immigrated to the United States as a child and grew up in New York City. She became the first Black