They are known for pushing boundaries and attracting top tier talent to Leeds.

Now Leeds-based filmmaker Gage Oxley, of Oxygen Films CIC, has announced the casting of Adam Wadsworth (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child and Stranger Things, West End) and Theo Walker (represented by Gay Times' Wax Talent) to join the cast of his new film Nosebleed.

The homegrown project with international backing from Emmy, Tony and Olivier Award-winning producers, and a co-production with the Emmy-nominated York Theatre Company in New York.

Set to film across Leeds, Nosebleed explores the pressures of modern identity and the ways digital spaces blur the line between performance and reality.

The film follows Victor, played by Wadsworth, a content moderator whose work begins to erode his sense of self, and Sebastian, played by Walker, whose presence draws him deeper into obsession.

placeholder image — Theo Walker | Mark Senior

The production brings together a transatlantic creative team, including Northern crew-members cinematographer Matthew Bates and intimacy coordinator Eleanor Hodson, with producers Jim Head (Romeo + Juliet, Brokeback Mountain) and Jim Kierstead (Hadestown, Kinky Boots, The Inheritance).

Writer-director Oxley, who founded Oxygen Films CIC ten years ago in Leeds, said: “Nosebleed examines the way online environments predispose us to think about lust, shame and control. It asks, through the lens of content moderation, what it's like to be both watcher and watched. I'm beyond excited to work with Theo, as he brings such humanity and emotional depth to Sebastian, grounding the story in something achingly honest.”

Actor Theo Walker said: “Sebastian is such a layered character - there’s so much beneath the surface, and understanding who he truly is takes real work. The film’s exploration of gay shame within a culture driven by toxic masculinity really resonated with me. Nosebleed examines how our online personas can bleed into our real lives, and I’m thrilled to be a part of bringing that story to the screen.”

Production is set for 2026, with plans for festival distribution later that year.