The actor from “The Walking Dead: World Beyond” and “Scream 4” joins the fast-growing entertainment business.

Younger star Nico Tortorella breaks into microdramas with spicy, queer Lyonesse Trilogy adaptations (exclusive)

The actor from “The Walking Dead: World Beyond” and “Scream 4” joins the fast-growing entertainment business.

By Nick Romano

Nick Romano

Nick Romano is a senior editor at ** with 15 years of journalism experience covering entertainment. His work previously appeared in Vanity Fair, Vulture, IGN, and more.

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August 22, 2026 12:00 p.m. ET

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Jake Lively and Nico Tortorella in ‘Salt Kiss’ microdrama exclusive first look. Credit:

- *Younger* and *Walking Dead* star Nico Tortorella breaks into the microdrama space.

- The actor joins microdrama stars in ReelShort’s adaptations of the spicy, queer romance books in the Lyonesse Trilogy.

- The adaptations will release this September. See an exclusive first look.

As microdramas continue to explode, this fast-growing sector of the entertainment business is attracting more established Hollywood talent.

In the latest development, Nico Tortorella — known for prominent roles in *Younger*, *The Walking Dead: World Beyond*, *The Following*, and *Scream 4* — makes his microdrama debut with short-form, vertically shot adaptations of author Sierra Simone’s best-selling Lyonesse Trilogy, and ** can exclusively reveal a first look at *Salt Kiss*, the first installment.

ReelShort, a leading streaming platform in the microdrama space from Crazy Maple Studio, will adapt all three books in Simone’s queer, kinky romance saga. Beginning with *Salt Kiss* and continuing with *Honey Cut* and *Bitter Burn*, the books give a modern spin on the legend of Tristan and Isolde, but with a helluva lot more spice.

Jake Lively as Tristan Thomas in ‘Salt Kiss’ microdrama exclusive first look.

Nico Tortorella as Mark Trevena in ‘Salt Kiss’ microdrama exclusive first look.

Jake Lively, a known actor from various microdramas, stars as Tristan Thomas, a wayward soldier freshly departed from the army. Mark Trevena (Tortorella), the cruel and amoral billionaire owner of DC’s ultra-secret Lyonesse club, hires Tristan to be his new bodyguard. The man soon becomes enamored with Mark until he’s asked to safeguard his boss’ fiancée, Isolde Laurence (Katelyn Rose).

Against his better judgment, Tristan starts warming up to — and even developing feelings for —Isolde, whose family is forcing her into this marriage with Mark. It creates quite the salacious love triangle.

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“The Lyonesse Trilogy was always meant to be experienced as one complete, interconnected story, which makes seeing all three books adapted together especially exciting,” Simone tells EW in a statement. “Mark, Tristan, and Isolde’s journey is packed with tension, desire, and emotional turmoil, and I’m thrilled for audiences to experience every turn of their story in a new vertical format.”

The Lyonesse Trilogy microdramas will be released exclusively on ReelShort this September. *Salt Kiss* debuts Sept. 6, followed by *Honey Cut* on Sept. 15, and *Bitter Burn* on Sept. 24.

Nico Tortorella as Mark Trevena in ‘Salt Kiss’ microdrama exclusive first look.

Nico Tortorella as Mark Trevena in ‘Salt Kiss’ microdrama exclusive first look.

While the Hollywood film and television businesses at large continue to struggle amid harsh realities and job uncertainties, the microdrama craze keeps growing exponentially. With more and more audiences consumed by their phones, the format is projected to earn $1.5 billion in revenue in the U.S. this year and nearly $2 billion in 2027, according to research firm Omdia and cited by a *Reuters* report.

ReelShort continues to capitalize on the trend by adapting books from established authors for this space. The vertical-friendly streaming platform previously adapted Cora Reilly’s *Bound by Honor* and *Bound by the Past*, Monica Murphy’s *Things I Wanted to Say*, and Sarah Brianne’s *Nero*. The *Lyonesse Trilogy* now joins that roster.

Jake Lively and Nico Tortorella in ‘Salt Kiss’ microdrama exclusive first look.

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