Summary

Collider’s Perri Nemiroff chats with the cast of The Julia Set at TIFF 2026.

Chase Infiniti, Christopher Briney, Jason Isaacs, Chlöe Bailey, and Nico Haraga discuss the preparation it took to authentically portray mathematicians and trusting in writer-director Niki Byrne’s vision.

They also discuss their own personal mentors throughout their careers, and Isaacs offers young artists his own wisdom.

The Julia Set is writer-director Niki Byrne’s sophomore feature that follows the unexpected trajectory of Julia, played by One Battle After Another’s Chase Infiniti, from a gifted university student to an elite group of prodigies.

In the movie, Julia is recruited by a teaching assistant, Pascal (Christopher Briney), when he takes notice of her innate mathematical abilities. Julia’s always been a natural with numbers, but growing up, she learned to stifle her talents. Now, she’s entering into a competitive world with The Putnam Exam, where students like Pascal are born and raised for genius. As the competition date approaches, however, Julia’s methodical mind flourishes under the pressure where others begin to crumble. At the Toronto International Film Festival, where The Julia Set world-premiered, Collider’s Perri Nemiroff had the pleasure of sitting down to chat with Infiniti, Briney, and co-stars Chlöe Bailey (The Exorcism), Nico Hiraga (Booksmart), and Jason Isaacs (Juliet & Romeo) at the Collider Media Studio, presented by Campari and The Cayman Islands. During this interview, they discuss their preparation to play mathematicians, the people who helped them along the way, and Isaacs passes on advice for young actors. Check out the full conversation in the video above, with time codes provided below.

00:34 – What Is The Julia Set About?

01:28 – The Cast Reveals How They Prepared to Play Brilliant Mathematicians

03:59 – The Stars Discuss the People Who Helped Them Recognize Their Talent

06:36 – Jason Isaacs Encourages Young Artists to Believe in Themselves

08:18 – Chase Infiniti Explains How Her Co-Stars Helped Shape Julia’s Relationships

10:07 – Christopher Briney Says a Pair of Shoes Helped Him Find His Character

11:33 – Chloe Bailey Discusses Finding Her Character and Representation on Screen

12:52 – Nico Hiraga Explains How His Character Provides a Calm for the Movie

14:30 – Isaacs Praises Niki Byrne’s Direction and the Film’s Emotional Complexity

The Julia Set premiered at TIFF 2026. A release date has not yet been announced. Check back with Collider for updates!

Release Date

September 11, 2026

Runtime

112 minutes

Director

Niki Byrne

Writers

Niki Byrne

Producers

Andrey Epifanov, Eleonora Granata-Jenkinson, Ellen Goldsmith-Vein, Gillian Anderson, Jeffrey Penman, Lee Stollman, Nick Scherma, Tayler Haynes

Cast

Christopher Briney

Pascal