Let’s run a quick thought experiment: What would you do if you became friends with your favorite celebrity? Or maybe the better question is: what are you willing to do to stay friends with your favorite celebrity?
This—somewhat vain—fantasy is the unnerving impetus of Lurker, a new film from global streaming service, production company, and distributor MUBI, written and directed by Alex Russell. Exploring the more perverse and sadistic side of contemporary “standom,” Russell’s directorial debut is an unnerving depiction of the potential lengths one will go to maintain their position in the fickle conditions of pop culture.
The latest offering from MUBI flirts between cringe-inducing suspense and thrillingly immersive moments, with cult film stars Archie Madekwe and Théodore Pellerin leading a cast that also includes Zack Fox, Havana Rose Liu, Sunny Suljic, and Cam Hicks. Already drawing early attention for its unsettling plot, intentionally messy tone, and original soundtrack produced by Kenneth Blume (né Kenny Beats), Lurker emerges as another intriguing entry into a catalog that features titles like The Substance, a darling of last year’s award season.
Following the movie’s initial release on August 22, the cast, crew, and members of their extended community descended on Melrose Avenue in LA to celebrate the cinematic work that everyone involved considers a true labor of love. Hosted at 194 Los Angeles, one of the city’s staple vintage boutiques that acts as a pivotal backdrop throughout the film, the Lurker Close Friends Pop-Up saw a crowd file into the storefront for an evening in honor of the promising rollout.
With Sushi Ceej setting the tone on the decks, attendees casually mingled with Russell, Fox, and Hicks, giving off the energy of a familial kickback rather than a stereotypical Hollywood reception. Following an intimate DJ set from Fox himself to close out the event, everyone spilled out onto the sidewalk—exclusive Lurker merch in hand—for the start of the unofficial afterparty.
Lingering around long after the pop-up’s conclusion, it’s clear that despite having only just hit the big screen, there is already a loyal fan base backing the daring project. Now, while everyone else is stuck searching for the next sweeping cultural trend, Lurker is officially declaring “Fan Boy Fall”—stans, rise; you’re time is now!
Read on to see the conversation between Russell and Fox on-site at 194 during the Lurker Close Friends Pop-Up as they pull back the curtain on some of the film’s themes and aspirations.
Alex Russell: It’s kind of emotional being back in this space. I think that the first day of shooting here was when I was most nervous throughout the entire filming process.
Zack Fox: For real? I had no idea. Why is that?
AR: In a way, it was the riskiest moment. Because if that first scene works, then the whole movie does. And if it doesn't, you should just go home. But after [Theo and Archie] started interacting with each other, it put me at ease. Their chemistry was so natural. Once I saw Theo’s neck work and how emotional his mannerisms were, the tone for the movie was set.
ZF: “Neck work” is crazy! The main thing that was going through my head while filming was, “Don’t fuck this up!” “Wait, did I fuck that up?” “Should I ask someone if I’m fucking up?”
AR: You were definitely one of the people I had to worry about the least. One of the things I learned through all of this is that directing is constantly looking for fires to put out. So the more I could be like, "Oh, Zack could do that, thank God,” the easier it was for me to move on to the next thing.
ZF: That’s nice to hear. The more I could make it feel like we were all just hanging out, the better I think it was for everyone. At least that was my hope. I just wanted to be a supportive friend more than anything. And then once it got to my part of the job, I just had to go put up my shot, and that was made easy by you feeling good about everything.
AR: It’s interesting because you’re actual personality is so different from who you’re playing on screen.
ZF: There were definitely some new muscles that had to be flexed for this role. I feel like [Swett] is this guard dog for the leader of a personality cult in the movie. Through that, we were essentially mining comedy from the really tense and uncomfortable situations that occur throughout the story. It was a way different approach from that standpoint.
AR: [Swett] is almost a bit of a bully, and you’re the exact opposite of that. It’s just a testament to how good an actor you are. I think that’s what made shooting the pants scene so fun. I was just letting you cook.
ZF: There's a version of that scene that's a short film in itself. When I first read it, I was cracking up because I recognized your tone of voice, and at that point, there was no implication that any of us would be in the movie.
AR: What makes that scene so great to me is that there are very few true acting moments. It’s all about how people look and interact with each other. Throughout, I just tried to focus on what I knew, which is that everything is an extension of the writing. Do I believe what I’m seeing?
ZF: One of the coolest parts for me was watching someone I'm so close to build out this whole world. The ups and downs of creating something in this town are already crazy, so there has to be a foundation of trust that fuels the entire ecosystem. It’s all a testament to the power of community building.
AR: Everything is a miracle. I want people to know that this movie is a true family affair, blending so many interests into one cohesive world.
ZF: It’s Mean Girls with scary music.
AR: Yeah, let’s roll with that.
Get tickets here for MUBI’s Lurker, in theaters nationwide today.
