Zoey Deutch plays an aspiring writer turned influencer in Not Okay. Photo / Searchlight Pictures
Zoey Deutch plays an aspiring writer turned influencer in Not Okay. Photo / Searchlight Pictures
You don't have to tell Zoey Deutch twice that her latest character isn't exactly a likeable one.
"I got tagged in a review saying, 'We don't like her!' and I wanted to respond, 'That's fine!'" she tells the Herald.
In fact, that's kind of the point. Deutch, 27, stars inNot Okay, a satire film from director Quinn Shephard, as Danni Sanders, an aspiring - but failing - young writer longing for recognition.
When she has the bright idea of faking a trip to a writers' retreat in Paris, she quickly gains a following for her Photoshopped snaps of herself posing with all the city's famous landmarks, complete with beret and baguette.
But then the real-life Paris is targeted in a series of bombings. Fearful of having her cover blown, Sanders pretends she's survived the attacks, staging a dramatic airport return.
From appearing on talk shows to finally getting published with a piece about her experience, it turns out masquerading as a victim gets her the attention she craves.
In the film, Deutch's character joins a support group of trauma survivors. Photo / Searchlight Pictures
It also attracts the attention of her work crush Colin, a bleach-blond Machine Gun Kelly lookalike hilariously played by Dylan O'Brien.
Sanders even joins a support group to learn some buzzwords from actual trauma survivors, befriending a young girl named Rowan (Mia Isaac) who lost her sister in a school shooting.
"I honestly wasn't that concerned with her likeability, I was concerned with her relatability," Deutch says. "I want people to see themselves in the character in some way, even if they're so different."
For Deutch, Sanders is simply human - albeit an entitled one whose actions eventually backfire on her.
"When I was playing her, I was very defensive of her and didn't like anyone saying anything mean about her because I don't think it helps the movie in any way to judge her," she says.
"And at the time people threw around words like 'sociopath' and 'evil' and 'compulsive liar', all of these really intense labels, which I rejected because I found her to be somebody who was lonely and privileged and misguided."
Deutch says the story felt "topical" - and it is. A homeless woman sits outside a cafe where influencers can eat for free, and at one point Colin invites Danni to a party where social media stars line up to pose with teeth whitening products, grab goodie bags and talk about "collabbing" on Snapchat to speak out against gun violence. It's grating - and it's real.
In our world, bad news from conflict to terrorism to natural disasters sits side by side with influencer hauls and sponsored content on social media. "It's a lot of information - maybe too much," Deutch reflects.
O'Brien's character isn't exactly likeable either. "I had an exact idea of what she [director Quinn Shephard] was going for, what she was trying to take the p*** out of," he says.
"It's a character that I'm so fascinated by - a generic combo of these trends that you see - thirst traps, covered in tats, TikTok dances, dressed head to toe in these crazy brands. Just being a character that they've created, essentially.
Dylan O'Brien stars opposite Deutch in the film. Photo / Searchlight Pictures
"When we were shooting I was constantly referring to myself as a piece of s*** - now I think, this guy's not necessarily a piece of s***, he's just become something that isn't even close to himself and it's been perpetuated by success. And he's lost who he even is at this point because of the need for attention."
For O'Brien, while the film critiques social media and influencer culture, it doesn't necessarily condemn it.
"I don't think it's a bad thing. If anything, I think it can be a great thing," O'Brien says, while acknowledging it can offer a "really weird contrast".
"I guess social media is just where our news is now and where the conversations are happening. But the idea is that it doesn't stop there. It goes beyond just what's in our hands, we have to engage out there as well.
"It's become so embedded into our culture and it's undeniable at this point - there's no use fighting it."
THE LOWDOWN Who: Zoey Deutch and Dylan O'Brien What: New movie Not Okay, a dark satire of influencer culture When: Streaming on Disney+ from tomorrow.
