Pop musician Charli XCX has joined the cast of Martin Scorsese’s upcoming Gothic psychological horror film, What Happens at Night, alongside leads Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence. According to Variety, the singer will make a cameo appearance in the feature, which is being produced by Apple Studios and StudioCanal. While exact details of her character remain undisclosed, the casting marks a high-profile addition to her rapidly expanding filmography and extends her creative relationship with the Oscar-winning filmmaker.

The ensemble cast also features Mads Mikkelsen, Patricia Clarkson, and Jared Harris. While Variety Australia notes that representatives for the singer, Apple, and StudioCanal did not immediately respond to requests for comment, NME reports that Charli XCX's representatives declined to comment on the casting. Similarly, Rolling Stone noted that representatives for Scorsese did not immediately respond to inquiries.

Inside Scorsese’s Gothic Psychological Thriller

Adapted from the 2020 novel of the same name by American author Peter Cameron, What Happens at Night represents a stylistic shift into Gothic psychological horror and drama for Scorsese. The narrative centers on a married American couple, portrayed by DiCaprio and Lawrence, who travel to a small, snowy European town to adopt a baby. As the couple struggles to claim their child and encounters a cast of peculiar hotel guests, they begin to realize they know less about themselves than they previously believed.

The project serves as Scorsese’s first narrative feature since 2023’s Killers of the Flower Moon, which also starred DiCaprio and was produced in partnership with Apple Studios. That historical drama earned 10 Academy Award nominations, including nods for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actress for Lily Gladstone, and Best Supporting Actor for Robert De Niro.

Behind the camera, Scorsese is directing and producing through his banner, Sikelia Productions, as detailed by TheWrap. DiCaprio, Lawrence, and Daniel Lupi also serve as producers on the feature. The executive producing team includes Lisa Frechette and Marianne Bower for Sikelia, Jennifer Davisson for Appian Way, Justine Ciarrocchi for Excellent Cadaver, and Anna Marsh, Shana Eddy Grouf, and Aaron Ensweiler for StudioCanal.

From Album Art to the Silver Screen

What Happens at Night is not the first collaboration between the pop star and the veteran director. In July, Charli XCX released her album Music, Fashion, Film, which featured a black-and-white cover photograph uniting three distinct cultural icons in a kitchen: John Cale representing music, Marc Jacobs representing fashion, and Scorsese representing film.

Cale recalled the unconventional nature of that shoot in an interview with Rolling Stone. "She said she had an idea to run by me," Cale explained. "There was talk of a video, an ode to an imprint of time and place. Next thing, I was on a flight. Ended up in a random kitchen."

Charli XCX has frequently expressed her admiration for Scorsese and cinema culture—an enthusiasm noted by fellow filmmakers, including director M. Night Shyamalan, who praised her as a "true artist" and "a cinephile" in September after attending the opening night of her tour. Discussing Scorsese's participation in her album artwork in a prior press release, the singer highlighted his dedication to the medium. "His knowledge of film is just encyclopedic – it’s crazy," she stated. "His mission in film restoration is very inspiring. I mean, he’s also Martin Scorsese. Do you know what I mean?"

News of the casting arrives as the musician concludes the North American leg of her tour supporting Music, Fashion, Film. Her final U.S. performance takes place on Friday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, ahead of a European tour leg scheduled to begin in February.

Charli XCX’s Rapidly Expanding Filmography

Following the massive commercial cycle of her Brat era, Charli XCX has aggressively pursued screen roles and film composition. According to Variety, she has appeared in seven movies over the past two years. Despite questioning on her Music, Fashion, Film track "Camera" whether it is foolish to pursue screen acting as she turns 34, her industry footprint has grown substantially across independent and studio projects alike.

Her recent slate includes The Moment, a mockumentary directed by frequent collaborator Aidan Zamiri that satirized her Brat success, in which she played a fictionalized version of herself and received a story credit. Her acting resume also spans Pete Ohs’ romantic drama Erupcja, Julia Jackman’s fantasy drama 100 Nights of Hero, Cathy Yan’s heist thriller The Gallerist alongside Natalie Portman, Faces of Death, an untitled Takashi Miike project, and the film I Want Your Sex—which Pitchfork and Rolling Stone note is directed by Gregg Araki, while NME attributes the project to Olivia Wilde.

Beyond acting, she has remained active in film scoring and soundtracks. She wrote the soundtrack for Emerald Fennell’s 2026 adaptation of Wuthering Heights, which featured her song "House" with John Cale, and co-wrote original music for the A24 production Mother Mary.

Addressing her transition into acting earlier this year while discussing Erupcja, the singer maintained a self-aware perspective on her Hollywood ambitions. "It’s all cringe, I’m very aware of that," she said. "Also, I am very new to this and wanted to sit back and learn and only really throw suggestions into the ring when I felt very, very passionate about it, or like it was going to be additive in some conversational way."

Frequently Asked Questions

What character will Charli XCX play in What Happens at Night?

Her specific character is currently being kept under wraps. Both Variety and TheWrap report that her appearance in the film will be a cameo rather than a lead or major supporting role.

When will What Happens at Night be released?

Apple Studios and StudioCanal have not yet announced a theatrical or streaming release date for the film, and a timeline for the conclusion of principal photography has not been publicly disclosed.

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