TV & Movies

Her second feature film,Not Okay, creates pitch-perfect parodies of current e-kids.

Just when we thought we hit peak scammer,Not Okayis herewith a whole new brand of con artist.

Played by Zoey Deutch, Danni is a would-be influencer whose entire caper plays out on Instagram.

Dylan O’Brien, Quinn Shephard, and Zoey Deutch, pose on set of the ‘Not Okay’ movie.

When we first meet her, shes faking a trip to Paris.

Which is sort of what it feels like to be alive in America as a young woman right now.

Were living in a horror show.

In the ‘Not Okay’ movie, Zoey Deutch stars as Danni Sanders, courtesy of writer-director Quinn Shepa…

Theres a really disgusting glamorization of trauma [happening online], says the director, whos 27.

Its something that, unfortunately, a lot of people witness and see around them.

But to Shephard, thats the point.

In the ‘Not Okay’ movie, Quinn Shephard directs actors Zoey Deutch and Dylan O’Brien.

What Im excited about with satire is that I think it forces you to do a lot of self-reflection.

Thats what I want to do in my work.

Below, she talks Kendall Jenners Pepsi ad, the summer of scam, and bad sex.

This film encompasses so many topical issues that its almost overwhelming.

Gun control, Karenism, terrorism, trauma porn, the perils of social media, etc.

Which of these themes was your entry point into the story?

Its so important to me that people recognize that this film is about more than social media.

I see the internet as merely a framing rig in the film.

In my mind, Danni was written as a satire of sheer privilege.

I imagine that when you were shopping this project around there were people who wouldnt touch it.

Execs who thought that Danni was too unlikable, or that these topics were too scary to satirize.

Its a really uncomfortable watch.

They 100% got it.

That Pepsi ad is such a great comp for this film.

What else was on your Danni Sanders mood board?

A lot of the film came into focus around [the character of] Rowan.

I was so angry about the epidemic of shootings that we were having, and are continuing to have.

Now youre releasing the film in the wake ofUvalde.

I wish the things that made me angry when I wrote this werent still happening.

There are even small, seemingly throwaway moments in the movie that are more relevant now than ever.

The film is also a fun house mirror, especially seeing Zoey and Dylan completely transformed into these hypebeasts.

Dylan was immediately like, Lets go hard.

He was watching documentaries about YouTubers, TikTokers, and Hype House people.

It was so ridiculous.

I was bookmarking hundreds of internet boys and sending him photos, being like, What about this shirt?

What about this fanny pack?

It seems to troll girls who like these kind of f*ckboys.

I wasreallytrolling the fandom by giving them the least sexy sex of all time.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.