Amazon MGM Studios’ adaptation of Lauren Asher’s bestselling romance novel Throttled has officially found its female lead. Nicole Wallace, the Spanish-American actress best known for the Culpa Mia trilogy, has been cast opposite Off Campus star Josh Heuston in the Prime Video film. The casting was announced on September 18 and completes the film’s central pairing.
Throttled is the first book in Lauren Asher’s Dirty Air series, a motorsport romance set in the world of Formula One racing. Wallace plays Maya Alatorre, an ambitious young woman who joins her brother on the racing circuit and finds herself pulled into a forbidden, high-stakes romance with her brother’s ruthless teammate and fiercest rival, Noah Slade, played by Josh Heuston. Noah is entirely focused on winning the F1 championship and sees Maya as a distraction. But as the two keep finding themselves in each other’s orbit, their connection becomes impossible to ignore.
Wallace spoke enthusiastically about the role in her statement, describing Maya as smart and ambitious and saying she is genuinely excited to step into her world.
“She is born into this sport full of speed and rivalry and, as a woman, has to learn to stand her ground and learn the ropes. I’m super excited to work with Josh and Nzingha and for audiences to feel the rush of this world.”
Throttled is directed by Nzingha Stewart, who is known for her acclaimed work directing Daisy Jones and the Six for Prime Video, bringing a music-driven drama to streaming audiences. Stewart now steps into the world of Formula One romance with the same focus on character-driven storytelling.
The screenplay has been adapted by Melissa Osborne, whose previous credits include My Fault: London and My Oxford Year, both romantic projects with similar emotional territory to what Throttled is aiming for.
Nicole Wallace is 24 years old and has built a close relationship with Amazon MGM Studios over the past few years. She first broke through internationally through the Culpables trilogy, the Spanish-language romantic drama series for Prime Video that earned her a dedicated following across multiple continents and led directly to Amazon signing her to an exclusive talent-holding deal.
She is set to appear in two additional Amazon MGM projects before Throttled arrives: the upcoming Prime Video series Postcards from Italy, co-produced with Gaumont Italia, and the Spanish drama series The House of Spirits. Her casting in Throttled further establishes her as a prominent young talent within Amazon MGM’s slate of romantic projects.
Josh Heuston plays musician Justin Kohl in Off Campus, the Prime Video romantic drama series that attracted 36 million worldwide viewers in its first 12 days of release, delivering the streamer its third most-viewed debut season ever, behind only The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power and Fallout. The Australian actor has also appeared in Netflix’s Heartbreak High, HBO Max’s Dune: Prophecy, and the Cannes horror thriller Dangerous Animals. Throttled marks his first lead role in a studio feature film and his first pairing with Nicole Wallace.
Throttled is produced by Max Handelman, Elizabeth Banks, Jennifer Gibgot, Andrew Panay and Garrett Grant. Lauren Asher serves as executive producer alongside Alison Small, keeping the original author close to the creative process.
Ethea, the production company behind the After film series and The Last Sunrise, is also involved, bringing experience in adapting popular romance novels for streaming audiences.
Throttled fits into Amazon MGM’s strategy of adapting popular romance novels, particularly those with passionate online fanbases, into streaming originals. Asher’s Dirty Air series has accumulated a devoted following on BookTok since its publication, and the combination of Formula One racing and forbidden romance gives the film a distinct identity within the contemporary romance space.
No release date has been confirmed yet.
