Jovan Adepo and Grace Van Patten are star-crossed lovers in the upcoming drama.
Star-crossed lovers, two households, civil blood, civil hands and all the rest -- such is the makings of The Violent Heart, a thriller fashioned as a Southern Gothic take on Romeo and Juliet set in the American heartland, and ET can exclusively debut the trailer.
The drama stars Jovan Adepo (Emmy-nominated for his work on Watchmen) as Daniel, a young man struggling to find his place in the world after witnessing his sister's unsolved murder years prior. Until, that is, he falls for high school senior Cassie (Grace Van Patten, who will next star in Nine Perfect Strangers).
Alas, as with Shakespeare's lovers before them, clashing families (Mary J. Blige stars as Daniel's mother) and buried secrets threaten to tear the couple apart.
"I am truly excited that audiences are finally able to see this movie," Adepo tells ET. "The cast, crew, and all creative minds behind The Violent Heart worked incredibly hard to present a drama that entertains and challenges our thinking. It was a fun experience, and I'm honored to share with the world."
Van Patten, meanwhile, says the role was a "dream," adding, "Everyone involved put their hearts and souls into this movie and I'm so excited for the world to see it."
Lukas Haas, Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Jahi Di'Allo Winston co-star in writer-director Kerem Sanga's film, which was set to premiere at last year's COVID-cancelled Tribeca Film Festival. Watch the trailer above.
The Violent Heart is in theaters and available on demand on Feb. 19.
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