Tina Kakadelis
One the buzziest films to come out of the 2025 SXSW Film & TV Festival is Amy Wang’s Slanted. The film centers on Joan (Shirley Chen), a Chinese teenager growing up in the United States who dreams of becoming Prom Queen. Her obsession with this teen royalty title comes from her desire to be accepted as part of the popular crowd and be seen as wholly American. Joan decides to undergo an experimental surgery that will turn her White (this version of Joan played by McKenna Grace) and let her join the popular girls. One of those girls, Greta, is played by Sarah Kopkin who sat down with Film Obsessive News Editor Tina Kakadelis after Slanted‘s whirlwind premiere at SXSW. Kopkin breaks down what drew her to the project, the necessity of body horror, and what it means to be an American. This transcript has been edited for length and clarity.
Film Obsessive: I want to start with how you got involved with Slanted. What made you thrilled about joining the project?
Sarah Kopkin: I got an audition, and immediately it was wild. I feel like as an actor, you’re taught, you get the audition, and you don’t hold on to it because it’s very hard. The odds are not usually in your favor. With this one, I had gotten a couple of auditions for a couple of characters and it ended up, coincidentally, that I’m good friends with one of the casting associates. I texted her and I was like, ‘oh my God, I love these characters so much’.
I happened to book the role I was talking about. Once I got to the callback stage, they did give me the whole script and I read it immediately. I was so taken that I said ‘please, please, please, let me land this role’. I’m still so honored and pinching myself that I get to be a part of a project like this.
You play Greta. Of the characters that you got the sides for, what was it about Greta that you were drawn to?
The way I’ve been explaining it is if Slanted can be compared to Mean Girls—she’s the Gretchen Weiners. I love that the film has a lot of dark tones. Even though the characters are mean girls, there’s also a comedic undertone to this film. That was something I felt connected to.
Slanted could be described as if Mean Girls took The Substance. How would you say this film takes the teen angst and feelings of loneliness of Mean Girls and makes them more for a modern audience?
The thing I love most about this film is that it’s very unique. We’re obviously in the United States. The filmmakers make that very clear with all their American flags and Americana themes. It is the modern day there. There are Instagram filters and social media, which modernize it.
At the same time, though, it doesn’t feel like our world. It’s very interesting, and I think that’s very unique. Amy [Wang] is just such a genius for being able to create her own little Slanted world.
Yeah, the opening montage has all these recognizable storefronts that have been extremely altered. There’s one that has the Whole Foods font, but it’s AR-15 Market or something like that.
There’s a Starbucks one too. It’s funny because my part of filming was mostly at the high school, the parties, and that kind of stuff. We didn’t really get to see a lot of that scenery while we were filming. Seeing it for the first time, not in the script, (but) seeing it on screen, was so good.
One of the other differences between Slanted and other teen comedies is the body horror element. We saw it last year with The Substance, making it easier to talk about unrealistic expectations in terms of body image, women aging, and what’s considered to be beauty. Do you feel like body horror opened a lot of doors in that regard?
Yeah, I also feel like it gives the metaphor more juice, I guess you could say. Not that it’s an easier avenue, but I think it’s definitely more shocking and gets the point across, rather than something that’s more subtle. Do you know what I mean? Because it is shocking. You’re seeing…I don’t know if I’m allowed to say spoilers, but the things that you’re seeing are memorable.
Because of that, I feel it gets the message across. It really sticks with you that much more. Similar to The Substance, you know? Oh my God, I did love that movie.
I feel like we’re at a point where frustration is boiling over. We’ve been having these same conversations about body image and the way people are represented in the media, and I think it’s time we’re just hitting people in the face with gore.
One hundred percent. I think doing something like this can be very controversial, but at this point, how else are we going to get people to pay attention and listen? You can scream at someone till you’re blue in the face, but someone peeling their face off…that’s going to stick with you, right?
There are people, reviewers, who think that’s a little too much, but is it? Because what else has stuck with you, you know?
Absolutely. Speaking of things that stick with you, you guys picked up the jury award at SXSW, which is so exciting. Congratulations! I think you have teenagers and adults as two very different audiences who are coming to this film. Can you talk a little about reactions you’ve had from either group or what you’re hoping sticks with each of these different groups of viewers?
Even with filming, we were kind of kept separate. It wasn’t an intentional thing, but just because, like you said, there are two big sides to this film. I was in the kids’ section, the kids’ table. We were in high school, and we filmed in a high school. Then there’s the whole adult side of the film.
If we continue the Mean Girls and The Substance comparisons, those are very two different audiences. Slanted meshes them, and I think the people who like both of those movies are going to find differences in this film as well. We have such an amazing, talented cast. McKenna [Grace], Shirley [Chen], Maitreyi [Ramakrishnan], and Amelie [Zilber]. They’re going to bring certain audiences to it just because they’re associated with the film. I think that’s great, because the more eyes the better, for sure.
Our main character, Joan, is a teenager. That’s one side of the spectrum, but on the other side, for the adult and horror of it, that’s going to bring in a whole other audience. The film has layers, and some of the performances from the adults, like Joan’s parents, were just so, so incredible. Breathtaking. Honestly, people from all sides of the spectrum are going to be able to find and resonate with this film.
Fair warning, this is a big, lofty question I’m going to throw your way. One of my favorite parts of the movie, that just was a gut punch, was when Joan’s dad [Fang Du] is talking about when he came to the US. He said it took him a while to figure out how to be his own definition of an American, and I feel like that’s very relevant now. What was the feeling like when you read that scene, when you finally got to read the whole script and see how it plays into the overarching theme of what it means to be a good member of our community?
Yeah, that’s an interesting question. The first time I really felt hit with emotions was when we were doing the table read. I do remember hearing that line and everybody just was silent because it was really sinking in.
Being a part of this movie has been such a blessing. I know my privilege was why I was cast as this character, the blond-haired, blue-eyed girl who’s part of this popular clique in this society. It definitely makes you check your privilege. I grew up here, and that’s not everybody’s experience.
Especially in this day and age, I think we especially need to be more supportive of each other and everyone’s experiences, because that’s what America should be. That’s the base of America, and I think a lot of people have forgotten it, which is really disappointing. Films like Slanted bring this to light. It’s amazing to be able to bring people together and give out this message.
Aside from acting, you’ve written, directed, and produced. You’re on all sides of the world of film. What did you learn from working with Amy and going to SXSW?
I love this question. Anytime I can brag about Amy, I’m so happy to. She’s magnificent. Just being on this set and working with the people I was working with was a masterclass in storytelling. Everyone put their entire heart and soul into this project. From our grips to Amy to our producers, everyone was so incredible. It taught me that when you have heart and you have a team full of heart, you can get amazing stuff done. Truly.
I was so impressed with the whole team and how everything came together. It was an incredible experience. Amy is a female director, which is incredible, and we need so much more of that, you know? To see her winning these awards already, and this is just the beginning, it’s very inspiring for sure.
Looking to the future, you have Screamboat, which is still horror but a little different. You talk a bit about that and the whole world of…am I allowed to say Mickey Mouse? A certain famous mouse?
It’s so funny, because last year was the year I booked Slanted. I actually did these three horror films in a row. The first was Screamboat, and that’s just true campy horror. It was so much fun and it’s so silly and just campy. The minds behind that are so creative.
I was on set for one night, and it was an overnight shoot on a ferry. I had the best time. I’m really excited for people to see that. Right after I got done shooting that, I immediately booked Zach Cregger’s new movie that’s coming out later this year. It’s called Weapons with Josh Brolin.
Horror has so many genres, right? Weapons is a more true, scary, serious horror movie. That was very different, but still in the same world of fear. It was literally the day I was working on set that I got my callback for Slanted and booked that. So, a little unofficial horror trilogy, and they’re all coming out this year.
A future scream queen!
Hopefully! That would be fun!
