Matthew Law and Alexandra Grey Lead Mars-Bound Sci-Fi Short ‘The Day Before’ With ‘The Matrix’ Co Creator Lilly Wachowski Executive Producing
Writer, director, and actress Alexandra Grey (Empire, How to Get Away with Murder) has unveiled first details from her upcoming science fiction short The Day Before, executive produced by The Matrix and Sense8 co-creator Lilly Wachowski.
Grey stars opposite Matthew Law (Nemesis, Abbott Elementary) in the intimate sci-fi drama as Dr. Erynne Washington and her husband, Marcus. While the film centers on their final day together before Erynne departs on a historic one-way mission to Mars, both characters are accomplished NASA engineers whose shared passion for exploration makes the sacrifice of their farewell even more profound. The film also stars Jamie Clayton (Sense8, Hellraiser) and Alexander David Pleasant (Abbott Elementary).
Set on the eve of NASA's most ambitious mission, The Day Before follows Dr. Erynne Washington (Grey), the first astronaut selected for a historic one-way journey to Mars. As the world celebrates her achievement, Erynne spends one final day on Earth with her husband, Marcus (Law), and their young son, Noah (Pleasant), knowing she will never return home.
The film also features Jamie Clayton as veteran news anchor Caroline Shaw, who conducts Erynne's final nationally televised interview before launch. Blending intimate family drama with grounded science fiction, The Day Before explores love, sacrifice, and the emotional cost behind one of humanity's greatest achievements.
Produced under Grey's banner, Bishop Street Productions, The Day Before recently wrapped production in Los Angeles and is being positioned for a 2027 festival premiere.
The film is produced by Grey alongside two-time Emmy-nominated producer Zackary Drucker (The Stroll, Transparent), Jonathan Olson, and Student Academy Award-winning producer Ilayda Cetinkaya (SKIN, RE-ENTRY). Executive producers include Lilly Wachowski, Jalen Jones, Grafton Doyle, John Reyes Doyle of Equites Productions, and Bamby Salcedo, President and CEO of the TransLatin@ Coalition.
Wachowski's involvement brings one of contemporary science fiction's most influential creative voices to the project. As co-creator of The Matrix franchise and Sense8, her work has reshaped the science fiction genre through stories that blend ambitious world-building with deeply human themes.
Grey is a writer, director, and actress whose credits include Empire, How to Get Away with Murder, MacGyver, The Resident, and The Alienist. Law currently stars in Netflix's Nemesis. Clayton is known for her acclaimed performances in Sense8 and Hellraiser, while Pleasant recently appeared in Abbott Elementary.