Introduction
Synopsis
When Hana (Sasha Luss), a professional gamer who suffers from acute agoraphobia, is asked to trial sophisticated new gaming equipment that uses AI to interpret the electrical activity of her brain, she sees an opportunity to enhance her game. As Hana and her best friend Jen (Alexis Ren) experiment with this new technology, the line between reality and Hana’s subconscious quickly begins to blur and she starts to wonder if the device is helping her or serving a more sinister force.
Alexis Ren as Jen
Interview
(Edited for content and clarity)
Glen Dower:
Alexis Ren:
Glen Dower:
Alexis Ren:
Glen Dower:
Alexis Ren:
James is the best, and I think that’s what’s so cool about working with someone who’s getting that big opportunity. I too feel that way. This is my second major film, and so we both came on being like, we’re doing the thing like, oh my god, and we got to do that together. And so I think we were eye to eye with each other on that.
That’s what’s so cool about doing a film. Everyone is there for the same objective: to make a killer movie. And so it’s like me, I really do relate to the character. Her sarcasm, her dryness, her love, her compassion. I felt like she was just a part of me. So I didn’t feel like I had to deep-dive into someone else. I could really just bring out that side of me that I haven’t been able to do. And he gave me permission to do that. So I was really grateful.
Glen Dower:
The film is somewhat of a two-hander between you and Sasha, who plays Hana. How did you guys foster that relationship? Sometimes you see in movies when the characters are supposed to be best friends but there is no onscreen chemistry whatsoever. But with you and Sasha, you were a pleasure to watch, which made the events of the film even more impactful. But how did you guys work on that relationship offscreen to make it project onscreen?
Alexis Ren:
Obviously, I was a fan of her coming into it, with Sasha she’s such an incredible actress, so I immediately was like, I just want her to like me and I just want this to go well! And obviously, it’s nervous meeting someone new for the first time, especially someone that you need to create that deep of a relationship with. But I was so lucky that it was just so natural with her and our personalities really blended well, and she’s so good at the dark psychological stuff, she’s just incredible at it, so if anything, I was just reacting to her darkness to try and compensate for it through the love that I had for Hana.
So really the best acting is when you’re just reacting. And that’s truly what I felt like. She just gave me so much to work with that I could just be there as a friend and just try and give levity to her no matter what. And I’m like, there is light and love in this world. So it was fun to play that.
Glen Dower:
Yeah. And did you maybe give Jen a backstory about how she and Hana had met? Because we meet and you’re fully formed best friends and we know you are her gateway into the outside world. You bring her food, you do her laundry, and you keep her energized. Did you work on a little backstory – how you met maybe at college or something like that?
Alexis Ren:
Glen Dower:
Alexis Ren:
Glen Dower:
Yes, definitely this is the world right now. But like you say, these virtual communities and these virtual friends are opposed to that fear of real-life friends. That’s why Jen is so important in the film. I just want to talk about, as a fellow podcaster myself, your own new podcast coming out, would you like to tell us a bit about that?
Alexis Ren:
It’s coming out in July, super exciting! I selfishly love being able to have those conversations with people I’ve always wanted to talk to. So we’re going to go all over the place; researchers, conspiracy theorists, we’re going, my sister and I, she’s going to be the cohost with me. We’re just going to deep dive into everything that I think is the nuance of our personalities. And I think that’s what’s so cool about podcasts, and I’m sure you understand this if you have podcasts, it’s the slow, long-form content and it feels more like real life than anything else online.
And so for me, it just felt like, okay, I can still be on social media, but coming from this slow form, nuanced way, it just feels a lot healthier because then people will see all versions of you as a whole full being. Instead of a clip here on Instagram, a clip here on TikTok, that all feels very fragmented. So I’m very excited for people to see me as the human version of myself instead of this social media thing.
Glen Dower:
Excellent. That’s really exciting news. So I know from being a podcaster myself, that it takes the will to make it exist and it takes a long time because ultimately it’s so rewarding and satisfying. So best of luck with that for sure! And just one last thing, Alexis, over to you. Pitch Latency for our readers, why should they go and see you and Sasha in Latency?
Alexis Ren:
Glen Dower:
Alexis Ren:
Latency, from Lionsgate, is in theaters now.