Norwegian singer-songwriter Marie Ulven, better known to her global fanbase as Girl in Red, is stepping out from behind the microphone and in front of the camera for her feature film debut. The artist, who opened for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour and has become a defining voice for a generation of indie-pop listeners, will not be playing a version of herself in the upcoming drama Low Expectations. Instead, she’s taking on a supporting role in a story about burnout, recovery, and the quiet dignity of ordinary life - and she insists the move is more than a celebrity cameo.
“I have a real interest in acting,” Ulven said in a statement tied to the film’s announcement. “It’s not a side project or a publicity stunt. I want to learn the craft properly, and this role felt like a genuine challenge.” That challenge places her within an ensemble cast led by Marie Ringheim, who stars as Maja, a musician at the peak of her career who abruptly falls apart and retreats from her ambitions. Depressed and broke, Maja returns to live with her mother and takes a part-time job at a local high school, where she slowly rebuilds herself through small acts of connection and everyday kindness.
The film, directed by Norwegian filmmaker Eivind Landsvik, is set for a theatrical release on September 11, 2026, with a runtime of 105 minutes. It is a straight drama, absent of the musical spectacle one might expect given the lead characters’ profession. Instead, the focus is on interior collapse and the unglamorous work of healing.
Ulven’s exact role has not been publicly detailed beyond her inclusion in the cast list, but her presence signals a deliberate pivot. Known for raw, confessional songwriting on tracks like “Girls” and “Serotonin,” she has built a career on emotional transparency. That same vulnerability appears to be what drew her to this project. Playing someone else - not a fictionalized version of herself - allows her to explore emotional terrain without the weight of autobiography. “Maja is not me, and I’m not playing a pop star,” Ulven added. “That’s the point. I wanted to disappear into a character.”
The casting is notable for another reason: Ulven’s real-life connection to massive stadium tours could have easily typecast her as a musician in a film about fame. Landsvik, however, deliberately avoided that shorthand. The director, known for his intimate character studies, assembled a cast that leans heavily on established Norwegian talent. Anders Danielsen Lie, a revered actor in Scandinavian cinema, plays Johannes, while Tone Beate Mostraum takes on the role of Astrid. The younger characters are portrayed by Embla Berntsen, Snorre Kind Monsson, Clara Dessau, Helene Bjørneby, and Emma Ylvisåker, the latter two appearing as a teacher and a student, respectively.
The project’s modest scale contrasts sharply with the scale of Ulven’s recent concert work. Opening for Swift’s Eras Tour placed her in front of tens of thousands of fans nightly, a world of screaming crowds and pyrotechnics. Low Expectations offers the opposite: a quiet, observational drama about a woman learning to live without applause. That dissonance seems intentional. Ulven has spoken in interviews about the pressures of rapid success and the mental health struggles that can accompany it. By choosing a role that mirrors those themes - without playing herself - she gets to process the experience artistically from a safer distance.
Early critical reception is impossible to gauge, as the film currently holds a placeholder rating of zero on TMDb, with no reviews logged ahead of its September premiere. But the buzz around the casting is already generating interest beyond Norway’s borders. Ulven’s international profile, boosted significantly by the Eras Tour appearance, guarantees that Low Expectations will reach audiences far wider than a typical Scandinavian indie drama. Whether that attention translates into box office success or critical acclaim remains to be seen, but for Ulven, the goal is simpler.
“I’ve spent years writing songs about my own life,” she said. “This is a chance to tell someone else’s story. That’s a different kind of freedom.” The film’s title, Low Expectations, could be read as a wry nod to the risk she’s taking - stepping into a new field where the odds of failure are high. But for an artist who has built a career on defying expectations, the bet might just pay off.
The drama is produced independently in Norway, with no major studio attached, which further emphasizes its art-house intentions. Landsvik’s previous work has been praised for its naturalistic dialogue and unhurried pacing, qualities that should serve a story centered on depression and slow recovery. With its September 11 release date, the film is positioned for festival season considerations, though official selections have yet to be announced.
For now, Ulven’s fans will have to wait until autumn to see her transform. In the meantime, the singer remains active in music, but she’s made it clear that this film is not a one-off detour. “I want to keep doing this,” she said. “Acting is something I’m serious about learning.” If Low Expectations delivers on its promise, it could mark the beginning of a second act for one of pop’s most introspective voices.
Source: Variety
