New Uglies Film Staring Joey King: Everything You Need to Know
After years of waiting, Joey King takes on the lead role in the new upcoming dystopian film, Uglies, set to stream on Netflix on September 13.
On August 8, Netflix released the first official trailer for Uglies, starring King. The actress told Netflix, “What’s crazy is my excitement for the story has been at the same level since I was 11 years old.” In hopes that the actress would become immersed in the world of the original Scott Westerfeld’s novel, her sister convinced her to read the first chapter. The The Kissing Booth star fell in love with the story, stating, “I was like, ‘I wanna play Tally Youngblood someday.’” Not only is King staring in her dream role, but she is the executive producer bringing the dystopian world to life.
The 2005 New York Times Bestseller is set in a futuristic world where society imposes cosmetic surgery when teens turn sixteen to become “pretty.” The novel follows Tally Youngblood, a sixteen-year-old who desperately wants an operation that will turn her attractively pretty to fit society’s standard.
If she completes the surgery, she will be sent into a high-tech paradise, where her life will cease to have any problems. But her new friend, Shay, doubts if she truly wants to be pretty. When Shay runs away, Tally discovers a new way of living in a not-so-pretty world. “The authorities offer Tally a choice: find her friend and turn her in, or never turn pretty at all. Tally’s choice will change her world forever.”
An entire chapter of my Master's Thesis focused on the Uglies trilogy by @ScottWesterfeld. To say I'm excited to finally see this world come to life is an understatement! #Uglies https://t.co/xRK4RPT169
— Jessica L. Dunlow (@jesseratops) August 8, 2024
The director, McG (Joseph McGinty Nichol), told Netflix, “The film’s really about beauty as interior.” He adds, “It’s a commentary on what we’re experiencing today, where so many people can’t just take a photograph and post it on social media. You’ve got to put it through the filter, you’ve got to edit it, you’ve got to do the thing to present this idealized version of beauty. And this is a moment to say, ‘Take a deep breath, work on your inner game, love people for who they are, and accept yourself for who you are,’ and strangely, it’s a much more fruitful way to live.”
Alongside King, her co-stars include Keith Powers, Chase Stokes, Brianne Tju, Jan Luis Castellanos, Charmin Lee, and Laverne Cox.
Watch the trailer for Uglies below.
