Gillian Anderson and Hannah Einbinder will take the stage at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday, July 28, for a one-night-only live reading of the 2002 film Secretary.

The Emmy Award-winning actors will perform unrehearsed, reading directly from Erin Cressida Wilson's screenplay. Anderson takes the role of E. Edward Grey, originally played by James Spader, while Einbinder steps into Lee Holloway, the part that became Maggie Gyllenhaal's breakout. Director Jane Schoenbrun, whose latest film Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma won the Queer Palm at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival, will read the action descriptions and direct the evening.

The event is part of Film Independent's Live Read series, which has been staged at the Wallis since 2019. Previous readings have included Heathers, Conclave, Jennifer's Body, and Back to the Future. The Conclave reading in February 2025 sold out in under three hours.

Rachel Bleemer, Film Independent's director of programming and events, called the pairing of material and talent a standout. "Secretary is a bold, provocative film that continues to spark conversation more than two decades later," Bleemer said. She added that Schoenbrun directing alongside Anderson and Einbinder made this one of the series' most anticipated lineups.

The reading is presented in partnership with MUBI, which distributes Schoenbrun's Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma. That film opens in U.S. theaters Friday, August 7, ten days after the live read.

Tickets went on sale to Film Independent members Thursday, July 9. General public tickets go on sale Monday, July 13, at noon PT. Pricing starts at $30 for Film Independent members and Wallis subscribers, and $45 for the general public; premium seating options may cost more. The Wallis holds roughly 500 seats for Live Read events, and past readings have sold out quickly.

The reading begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. Parking is available in the underground garage at 450 N. Crescent Dr. for an $8 flat rate after 6:00 p.m. Additional cast members will be announced at a later date, according to Film Independent.

Upcoming community events

  • Monday, July 13 — General public ticket sales open at noon PT for the Live Read of Secretary at the Wallis (filmindependent.org)
  • Tuesday, July 28 — Film Independent Live Read: Secretary, 7:30 p.m., Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts
  • Friday, August 7 — Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma opens in U.S. theaters via MUBI