Maddie Z Will Star in Sia's New Movie

September 8, 2015

Sia and Maddie twinning at the 2015 Grammys (Getty)

There’s something almost otherworldly about the Sia-Maddie Ziegler connection, right? Yes, everyone likes to call Maddie Z Sia’s “mini-me,” which is cute, and we get it: the lookalike blond wigs, Maddie’s “young Sia” character in that trilogy of internet-breaking music videos…sure. But the fact that Maddie says Sia is “like my sister or my mom,” that Sia pulls such crazy, powerful performances out of Maddie, that the two of them seem to need to work together—there’s a more powerful force at play there. And it’s a force that generates really interesting art.

So we’re excited to hear about any new Sia-Maddie collaboration. But we’re especially excited about this latest one: The dynamic duo is apparently working together on a movie, with Sia writing and directing and Maddie starring.

We don’t know a ton about it, which, given that Sia is so private she generally prefers not to show her eyes in public, isn’t a big surprise. But we have heard that the title is Sister, and that the plot is based on a one-page short story Sia wrote 8 years ago. Her friend, children’s book author Dallas Clayton, helped her with the screenplay; comedian Whitney Cummings, actor Joel Edgerton and Sia’s husband, Erik Anders Lang, have given feedback. All of which seems to bode well.

Maddie in Sia’s “Chandelier” video (YouTube screenshot)

Here’s hoping choreographer Ryan Heffington, who shaped the “Chandelier” and “Elastic Heart” videos, is also on board for the project. Because happy as we are to see Maddie dive deep into acting, it’d be a waste not to make use of her dance skills. (Let’s maybe retire the nude leo, though? Anything that’s been spoofed on both “SNLandJimmy Kimmel Live” has probably run its course.)

No word yet on release date, etc, but obviously we’ll keep you posted!