Daniela Ruah is officially expanding her creative reach. After a long and successful run as one of the faces of NCIS: Los Angeles, the actress is preparing to make her feature film directing debut with Nowhere Boy, a screen adaptation of Katherine Marsh’s young adult novel.
The film centers on Ahmed, a teenage refugee forced to flee conflict alongside his father. When his father dies during their journey to Europe, Ahmed finds himself alone in Brussels, stripped of both family and the dream of reaching England. With nowhere else to turn, he hides inside a house occupied by an American family. There, he meets Max, a 13-year-old boy living upstairs, and an unlikely friendship forms—one that offers Ahmed renewed purpose and hope amid loss and displacement.
The screenplay is being adapted by Anastasia Kousakis, who previously collaborated with Ruah on NCIS: Los Angeles. Producing the film is Matthew Baer, whose past credits include the Oscar-nominated adaptation Unbroken. Production timing has not yet been announced.
Nowhere Boy will be made under Ruah’s production company, Merkaba Films, which currently has several projects in development. Ruah brings prior directing experience to the project, having helmed multiple episodes of NCIS: Los Angeles during the show’s 14-season run.