| The Gallerist | |
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| Directed by | Cathy Yan |
| Written by |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Federico Cesca |
| Edited by | Brian A. Kates |
| Music by |
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Production companies |
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Release date |
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Running time | 94 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
The Gallerist is a 2026 American dark comedy thriller film directed by Cathy Yan and starring Natalie Portman, Jenna Ortega, Sterling K. Brown, Zach Galifianakis, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, and Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Premise
Preparing for her Art Basel premiere, gallerist Polina Polinski hosts an early look for art influencer Dalton Hardberry to review emerging artist Stella Burgess. Dalton rains hate on Polina, Stella, and the entire gallery until he encounters the centerpiece — a large-scale sculpture entitled "The Emasculator". The "hyperrealist work" goes viral, attracting legendary dealer Marianne Gorman, who revs up the ruthless machine of the art world.
Cast
- Natalie Portman as Polina Polinski, an uptight Miami gallerist and recent divorcée
- Jenna Ortega as Kiki Gorman, Polina's assistant
- Sterling K. Brown as Tom, a canned tuna tycoon and Polina's ex-husband
- Zach Galifianakis as Dalton Hardberry, a social media influencer
- Da'Vine Joy Randolph as Stella Burgess, an up-and-coming artist
- Catherine Zeta-Jones as Marianne Gorman, an art curator and Kiki's aunt
- Daniel Brühl as a wannabe art collector
- Charli XCX as Alex, Dalton's girlfriend
- Youssef Kerkour as Doug
- Ash Sarohia
Production
In October 2024, Natalie Portman and Jenna Ortega were set to star in The Gallerist, co-written and directed by Cathy Yan.[1] In December, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Sterling K. Brown, Zach Galifianakis, Daniel Brühl, Charli XCX, and Catherine Zeta-Jones joined the cast.[2] The film was financed by MRC.[3]
Principal photography began on December 18, 2024 and wrapped on February 6, 2025.[4][5]
Release
The Gallerist premiered at the Eccles Theater as part of the 2026 Sundance Film Festival on January 24, 2026, followed by a theatrical release later in the year.[6][7][8]
Reception
Reviews were mixed. Vanity Fair described it as playful satire.[9] The Hollywood Reporter called the film "clumsy and inert on screen".[10] Variety described it as "intermittently clever".[11] The Guardian called it "a major stumble".[12]
Critical response
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 55% of 40 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 5.3/10.
Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 48 out of 100, based on 12 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.
References
- Kroll, Justin (October 29, 2024). "Natalie Portman And Jenna Ortega Circling 'The Gallerist' For Director Cathy Yan – The Dish". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved October 29, 2024.
- Grobar, Matt (December 13, 2024). "MRC Boards Cathy Yan's 'The Gallerist' As Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Sterling K. Brown, Catherine Zeta-Jones & More Sign On". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved January 13, 2025.
- Iasimone, Ashley (December 14, 2024). "Charli XCX Joins 'The Gallerist,' Starring Natalie Portman and Jenna Ortega". Billboard. Retrieved March 25, 2025.
- The Gallerist set picture
- @natalieportman; (February 6, 2025). "It's a wrap on The Gallerist!" – via Instagram.
- "Sundance Film Festival Schedule". Sundance Film Festival. Retrieved December 16, 2025.
- Hunt, Hannah; Weintraub, Steven (September 10, 2025). "Natalie Portman Reveals Her All-Time Favorite Studio Ghibli Movie and Teases Her Next Two Films [Exclusive]". Collider. Retrieved September 10, 2025.
- Gardner, Chris (December 10, 2025). "Sundance Sets 2026 Lineup With Charli XCX, Olivia Wilde, Salman Rushdie and Courtney Love Films". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved December 10, 2025.
- Ford, Rebecca (January 23, 2026). "Sharp Comedy 'The Gallerist' Asks a Bold Question: Can a Dead Body Be Art?". Vanity Fair. Retrieved March 31, 2026.
- Lawson, Richard (January 25, 2026). "'The Gallerist' Review: Natalie Portman and Jenna Ortega Flail Their Way Through a Clunky Art-World Satire". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 31, 2026.
- Debruge, Peter (January 25, 2026). "'The Gallerist' Review: Natalie Portman Plays a Desperate Miami Art Dealer Whose Latest Show Is About to Make a Killing". Variety. Retrieved March 31, 2026.
- Lee, Benjamin (January 25, 2026). "The Gallerist review – Natalie Portman flounders in tiring art world caper". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved March 31, 2026.