Entertainment
Sydney Sweeney is in a new horror film. She wants to remind us how dorky she is
In just the past few months, Sydney Sweeney has changed. Already a two-time Emmy nominee for her roles on “Euphoria” and “The White Lotus,” she starred in and produced the worldwide box-office hit “Anyone but You.”
Such is Sweeney’s current career trajectory that she is unfazed by the severe, mocking response to the recent disappointment “Madame Web,” saying, “I was just hired as an actress in it, so I was just along for the ride for whatever was going to happen.”
Now comes her intense horror film “Immaculate,” premiering Tuesday night at the South by Southwest Film and TV Festival, with Sweeney again starring and producing. The thriller reunites her with director Michael Mohan, the two having previously worked together on the Netflix high school dramedy series “Everything Sucks” and the Prime Video erotic thriller “The Voyeurs.”
“Immaculate,” with a screenplay credited to Andrew Lobel, follows a devout American woman, Cecilia, who makes her way to a remote Italian convent. She becomes pregnant while still a virgin — a seemingly miraculous event that soon takes a sinister turn. Mohan cites classics such as “Rosemary’s Baby,” “The Exorcist” and Ken Russell’s 1971 “The Devils” as inspirations; his film also features a supporting cast of European talent such as “Money Heist’s” Álvaro Morte, “White Lotus’ ” Simona Tabasco and “Amanda’s” Benedetta Porcaroli.
Sweeney, 26, recently hosted “Saturday Night Live”, only to be in Paris by Tuesday for a Miu Miu fashion show and then back in New York on Wednesday to join Mohan via Zoom for our joint interview. Just a few days later she was in Los Angeles for the Vanity Fair post-Oscars party, where she wore a dress previously worn by Angelina Jolie to the 2004 Academy Awards.
“Immaculate” will be released later this month by Neon. Though the following conversation does touch on the movie’s startling ending, there are no spoilers beyond anything that’s already in the film’s trailer.
Sydney Sweeney in the movie “Immaculate.”
(Neon)
Sydney, it’s already part of the origin story of “Immaculate” that you auditioned for this 10 years ago and then revived the project. What was it about this story that stuck with you?
SWEENEY: Originally the script was vastly different. Once I got my hands on it and we hired Michael, we drastically revised it so that it could fit who I am today and the world today. But the through line of the story always has stayed the same. And I think one of the reasons I loved it so much was that some of the scariest and most raw, guttural moments in this movie are in real life.
You and Michael had a working relationship already, but what made you turn to him to be involved?
SWEENEY: I feel like we have grown up in this industry together. Michael was one of the first filmmakers to actually believe in me to be able to have a regular role on a TV show. And I was 19 years old. After working on “Everything Sucks” and “Voyeurs,” you can just communicate with someone differently. Mike and I can just look at each other and we know what we’re thinking. We know what needs to be fixed. We know what’s working without even having to say a word. And having a filmmaker like that on your team is so beneficial to having a project just flow. And it was also my baby and I knew that he wasn’t going to come on and then push me aside.
Michael, what was your reaction when you first got the script?
MOHAN: I was terrified to read it. I knew Syd was making this movie with or without me. And we had shared some scripts before and some of the scripts that I had read I didn’t feel like I was uniquely suited to. And I didn’t want to just sign on just to sign on. I wanted to feel like I could elevate what was there. And when I read the script, the concept just felt so plausible and it felt very terrifying and prescient. The twist that the narrative takes I didn’t see coming. As someone who writes movies with twist endings, that’s a big deal.
But also, I just really wanted to work with Syd again. It’s just so easy. I don’t want to deconstruct it too much. It’s this appreciation for the craft of our crew and what they bring to it.
How did the script change from what it originally was?
SWEENEY: It drastically changed — location, age, characters, a lot of it.
MOHAN: The main thing was, in the early draft, she was a high school student. And so by changing the character to a nun, it gave us a much broader character arc to play. Even though the movie’s really short, she starts in one place that is so vastly different from where we leave her. And knowing that you’ve got an actor as good as Syd in your back pocket to perform it, she’s going to be able to accomplish it effortlessly. I just have to keep her in focus.
Anytime I would come up with a new idea, they would just immediately go, “But is it scary?” And their whole thing was just: This needs to be really scary. And I give them all the credit for pushing me in all the right ways.
Sydney, talk about your move into producing. Is this about you taking more control of the material you’re agreeing to be a part of?
SWEENEY: I am a very hands-on collaborator. I like being able to give ideas, be a part of it, help come up with solutions. It just changes the whole process. It’s so hard for me now to be on a set and not be able to help in any type of way and be able to take action. And being able to actually have a voice and have a valued opinion — it means so much.
And I still have a billion things to learn, but I love being able to be a part of the process from the beginning to the end. I’ve always built my characters from the ground up. And so I feel like I’m getting to do that on an entire script-level.
MOHAN: I also think that, quite frankly, Syd has her finger on the pulse of what her generation wants to see. And so you understand that: Hey, there aren’t rom-coms out there, so you know what? I’m going to find one, I’m going to make it my own. I’m going to make it as cinematic as I can. And of course, it was successful. You knew that.
Do you see it that way, Sydney?
SWEENEY: I mean, it definitely helps when you’re the same age as the audience.
Sydney Sweeney and director Michael Mohan, photographed in Los Angeles ahead of the SXSW premiere of the religious horror-thriller “Immaculate.”
(Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
Michael, what has it been like for you to see Sydney evolve as a performer and as a persona, a celebrity, since you first met her?
MOHAN: It’s unsurprising, to be honest. We sort of knew when we cast her in “Everything Sucks.” This is a born leader. Even back then, Syd really helped us in terms of the morale of the cast. She was the camp counselor to the rest of the kids, the actors who were younger than her. The fact that she’s doing everything right now and is everywhere and all over the place, it’s just like, of course.
I’m just glad that you’re getting roles that are even more challenging. To me, that’s the fun part, catching a movie like “Reality” or even seeing that scene in “Anyone but You” where you climb over the armrest — the physical-comedy thing where your butt is in his face. It’s just so funny. I’d never seen you do that before. And so it’s really —
SWEEENEY: How much of a dork I am. That’s the thing. I am actually super dorky. I make very sarcastic dry remarks, and everyone close to me knows in real life I’m more of a comedian than a dramatic person.
You seem really unafraid of using your body in your performances, including taking off your clothes. And this role feels different. For the most part, it’s more contained and buttoned–up. How conscious a decision was that for you?
SWEENEY: It didn’t serve the character. It’s always whether it serves the character or not. I’m living someone else’s life. So if it serves to the development or the emotional state of a character, then it makes sense. But she was a nun. It didn’t make sense.
Michael, was that something you thought about — how much you were going to lean into the exploitation side of a nunsploitation movie?
MOHAN: Well, I don’t want to be known as the guy who makes movies where Sydney gets naked. I don’t want that reputation. However, I will say, Syd, when we decided to stage the scene with you and Benedetta in a bathhouse, we knew that would have a sensual feeling to it.
SWEENEY: And it’s just like if she was in the bathhouse, she would just be wearing her overdress, her bathing dress, and no bra. And so it’s truthfully just whatever the character would do. I never think about it. I mean, the character wouldn’t wear a bra in most of the stuff, so I didn’t wear a bra. It just depends on the character. I truly just look at everything like that.
Mohan: I was probably more concerned about it than you because I remember after we shot that first take, I was like, “Oh, my God, it’s so sheer. Is this OK?” And you were like, “No, this is beautiful. Don’t overthink it.”
Sydney Sweeney in in the movie “Immaculate.”
(Neon)
Now I want to ask you about some of what happens in the movie, but I don’t want you to feel like we’re spoiling anything. How are you talking about the film?
MOHAN: This is the first interview we’ve done together, so I think we’re figuring it out.
SWEENEY: We definitely don’t want to spoil the ending. We really want people to discover it for themselves. Granted, people write reviews and that’ll be out there, but we’re trying really hard not to spoil the ending. I will say that was the first take. That was one take.
MOHAN: We did shoot alternates. We covered ourselves in case audiences rejected the execution that we went for. But when we did the take, it was undeniable. We saw it and we were just like: This is unbelievable. This is what it is. And thankfully, everybody supported us.
The only thing I can say is whenever you’re on set and you see Syd do this, it’s genuinely like watching someone do a magic trick, because the instant I call cut, it’s just like, boom, back to Syd. And it’s like nothing. Sometimes as a director, the best direction you can give is to stay the f— out of someone’s way.
Sydney, where does that come from, that ability to turn a character on and off like that?
SWEENEY: When I was first starting, I had — I don’t even know that you would call him a life coach or not, not quite an acting coach, but it was my friend’s dad. So Kodi Smit-McPhee [of “The Power of the Dog”], his dad, Andy McPhee, would help Kodi build his characters. And so I started working with Andy and we would just talk character work. It wouldn’t be rehearsing, wouldn’t be running lines, it would be truly just talking about the characters and building who they were.
And the number one thing he always told me was to make sure that I separated myself as much as possible from my characters. Don’t put any of my own memories, emotions, feelings, people, relationships, anything in the thoughts of my characters, so that I can jump in and out.
Sydney, even just within the last couple weeks, it seems like your fame has grown. Does it feel to you like things are accelerating too fast?
SWEENEY: I am such a homebody that life kind of stays the same for me. I just hang out with my dog and my family and my close friends. There’s just more people who say hi to me when I go outside. That’s all.
Does it all just seem normal to you now?
SWEENEY: Nothing about this industry is normal. And I think it’s really important to remember that.
The sixth outing in the director’s chair for filmmaker Kirk Jones, I Swear dramatizes the real-life story of touretter John Davidson (played by Robert Aramayo). Tourette’s Syndrome, for those unfamiliar with the condition, is a nervous system disorder that causes various tics, the most prolific being erratic and explicit language. However, as I Swear expertly showcases, the syndrome is far more than ill-timed outbursts of curse words. Davidson’s story is one of societal frustration, finding your people (both with and without the condition), and using your voice to help others rise. The subject and subject matter are handled with absolute care and understanding under Kirk’s measured vision and Robert Aramayo’s BAFTA-winning performance.
The film kicks off with the greatest exclamation to democracy ever uttered (*%#! the Queen!), as a nervous John Davidson prepares himself before entering an awards ceremony hosted by Britain’s royal family. Right away, the film tells us what it is: a triumph over adversity that blends humor and human drama with education. It’s an important setup, as the film flashes back to Davidson’s 1980s youth, where we see his time as a star soccer recruit flatline as his condition takes hold. Davidson’s life spirals from there. Some aspects, like school bullying and accidental run-ins with authority figures, are expected but important to empathizing with young Davidson’s (young version, played with heart by Scott Ellis Watson) new everyday life. The more tragic, a complete meltdown of his family system, is unsettling if quick. His father (Steven Cree) is never given enough screen time to explore his alcohol coping tendencies. However, his mother Heather’s descent into easy fixes and blaming is crushing and convincing. Harry Potter series actress Shirley Henderson (Moaning Myrtle) gives a layered performance as Heather. Someone who loves her son, but also feels cursed by him as the entire family exits the picture. It’s bitter, she’s tired, and fills each conversation with ‘only medication and your mother can save you’ energy.
From there, the viewer and Davidson find refuge in a host of characters. Maxine Peake plays Dottie, the mother of a childhood friend and a retired mental health nurse. Screen vet Peter Mullan plays maintenance man Tommy Trotter. Together, they help Davidson build a life and an understanding of himself that carries the film forward into its second half. After that, the film is primarily a 3-actor show as director Kirk fills the screen with these tour-de-force performances. Peake and Mullan are great vessels to get the film’s main message across: patience, love, and a shared responsibility between the diagnosed and those who understand their struggle can help change the path for people quickly left behind by a normative world. Together, they are the soul of the movie, with the filmmakers clearly hoping the audience will follow their lead after they exit the theater (in my case, the beautiful Oriental Theater for the Milwaukee Film Festival). Both performances are perfectly warm and reflective and shouldn’t be left out in discussions of I Swear.
I say this because the movie is anchored by The Rings of Power actor Robert Aramayo, who leaves Elrond’s elf ears behind to bring an acute naturalism to his performance of main character John Davidson. Aramayo’s physicality and timing of the fitful Tourettes Syndrome never feel out of place or overplayed. In fact, the movie as a whole does an amazing job of never veering into sentimentality. While many moviegoers left with tissues dabbing their eyes, the filmmaking never felt like it was forcing that reaction out of audiences. It straddles the line between feel-good and reality with every story beat and lands squarely on the side of letting the real inform our feelings. Anyone with an ounce of empathy will grasp the film’s message and hopefully take it with them into life.
I Swear continues at the Milwaukee Film Festival on Tuesday, April 21st, and releases nationwide April 24th, 2026, courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics.
Several private equity firms and Hollywood power players, including United Talent Agency and longtime agent Patrick Whitesell, have expressed interest in buying parts of Casey Wasserman’s music and sports management firm after it abruptly went up for sale.
Wasserman became ensnared in controversy earlier this year after his salacious decades-old emails to Ghislaine Maxwell, an accomplice of child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, were released as part of the U.S. Justice Department’s trove of Epstein files.
The agency auction is in the early stages, according to three people close to the process but not authorized to comment.
Earlier this week, several interested parties submitted proposals to meet a preliminary deadline in the auction, two of the sources said.
The company, which changed its name to the Team last month, is expected to be valued at around $3 billion.
Providence Equity Partners holds the majority stake. The private equity firm has discussed selling the entire company or carving off Wasserman’s minority interest. Providence also has considered selling the bulk of the firm and staying on as a minority investor, one of the sources said. Another scenario could involve separating, then selling the individual business units that make up the Team.
Wasserman and Providence’s company boasts an enviable roster of music artists, including Kendrick Lamar, Coldplay and Ed Sheeran. Its sports marketing practice is viewed as particularly lucrative and has potential to grow in value as big dollars flow into sports that draw large crowds.
Wasserman, who declined to comment, has a veto right over any sale of the company that he has spent a quarter of a century building.
UTA, which also declined to comment, is among the most aggressive suitors, the sources said. The Team’s sports marketing and music representation divisions would dramatically boost the Beverly Hills agency’s profile and client roster.
Whitesell, former executive chairman of Endeavor, separately has been motivated to make investments in sports, media and entertainment since last year when he left the talent agency that he and Ari Emanuel built. Whitesell launched a new firm with seed money from private equity firm Silver Lake, and last spring he started WIN Sports Group to represent professional football players.
Whitesell wasn’t immediately available for comment.
European investment firm Permira also has expressed interest, according to a knowledgeable source. Permira declined to comment.
The New York Times first reported that Permira, UTA and Whitesell had expressed interest.
The sales process is expected to stretch into summer, the knowledgeable people said. The auction could become complicated particularly if Providence decides to unwind the business.
For example, UTA could not buy the entire company because of the Brillstein television unit. The agency is bound by an agreement with the Writers Guild of America that prevents it from owning television production.
Investment bank Moelis & Company is managing the sale. A representative of the firm declined comment.
Wasserman also is the chairman of LA28, the nonprofit group that will be staging the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in two years.
Following revelations of Wasserman’s 2003 emails with Maxwell, several musicians and athletes — led by pop artist Chappell Roan and soccer star Abby Wambach — said that, to stay true to their values, they would leave the agency then known as Wasserman.
Wasserman apologized to his staff for “past personal mistakes” and said he would sell the agency.
He had limited dealings with Epstein, flying on the financier’s jet along with former President Clinton for a September 2002 humanitarian trip through Africa.
Wasserman, a prolific Clinton fundraiser whose legendary grandfather, Hollywood titan Lew Wasserman, helped the Democrat win the 1992 presidential election, was joined on Epstein’s jet by his then-wife, Laura, actor Kevin Spacey, Epstein, Maxwell — who was convicted of sexual abuse in 2021 — and others, including security agents.
The LA28 board’s executive committee unanimously voted to keep Wasserman as chairman, citing his “strong leadership” of the Games.
Pizza Movie (2026) Director: Nick Kocher and Brian McElhaney, Star: Gaten Matarazzo and Sean Giambrone
Somehow, I got through an hour of this movie. I was seconds away from turning off in the first fifteen minutes because of the juvenile humor. Pizza Movie is too silly, repetitive, and the characters are annoying. Stranger Things Gaten Matarazzo and Sean Giambrone star as college friends, Jack and Montgomery. College angles are rarely seen in films right now, and that’s the one saving grace of the film. Similar to high school, people are also trying to fit in. The story and visuals were too corny. You can only watch someone’s head exploding for so long without letting yours.
The Super Mario Galaxy Movie (2026) Director: Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic, Stars: Chris Pratt, Charlie Day, Anya Taylor-Joy
I never saw the first Super Mario Brothers Movie when it was out, but I heard it got positive reviews. My brother always loved playing Super Mario video games as a kid, and I’d watch him. I tagged along with my friends to see Super Mario Galaxy Movie, and it’s a cute and fun film. I like it when movies explore the video game world. The animation creates unique worlds and characters. The characters are split into their own storylines, and for me, I felt like it worked. It adds more action, especially for kids who are seeing the films.
Emily in Paris Season 5 (2025) Creator: Darren Star, Stars: Lily Collins and Ashley Park
After a bright spot in season 4, I thought season 5 of Emily in Paris would continue its growth in the story and its protagonist, but no, it’s all drained out in the usual Emily (Lily Collins) mishaps. Ashley Park (Mindy) has become too good for this show. Emily and Mindy waste several opportunities because of their love lives. The whole relationship angle is ruining it. I don’t understand why Alfie (Lucien Laviscount) is still in the show. I thought writers learned their lesson, but by the last episode, they’re continuing to bring the past into an apparent season 6.
Sarah’s Oil (2025) Director: Cyrus Nowrasteh, Stars: Naya Desir-Johnson and Zachary Levi
There’s always history lurking right beneath our noses. Sarah’s Oil (2025) tells the true story of Sarah Rector, an Oklahoma-born African American girl who became the first black female millionaire in the U.S. Naya Desir-Johnson is fierce and driven as Sarah. Zachary Levi is also along for the ride as Bert, a man who helps Sarah. Kate (Bridget Regan) was another favorite character as an intelligent woman. Cyrus Nowrasteh was drawn to the subject for its story and its themes. Nowrasteh’s direction is compelling as he unearths a hidden story from history. The film is streaming on Amazon Prime.
Jack Goes Boating (2014) Director and Star: Phillip Seymour Hoffman and Amy Ryan
Jack Goes Boating (2014) didn’t quite work for me, largely because of its slow pace and uneven storytelling. The film stars the late Seymour Hoffman as Jack, who also directed the film. This was Hoffman’s first and only time in the directing chair. Amy Ryan also stars in the film, giving a solid performance. This was also based on a play that Hoffman starred in. Jack wants to participate in a swim championship. That’s hardly what the film is about, tracking other characters’ stories. While the film aims for quiet intimacy, it ultimately drags, making it an underwhelming viewing experience.
You Kill Me (2016), Director: John Dahl, Stars: Ben Kingsley, Tea Leoni, Luke Wilson
Meet You Kill Me (2016), yet another film that I found in the museum of underrated gems. The concept revolves around Frank (Ben Kingsley), a hitman, who is sent to an A.A. meeting to get his mind focused again. A different story happens, where Frank falls in love with Laurel (Tea Leoni). Leoni is one of my favorite actresses. It also stars the funny Luke Wilson. I liked the trio’s dynamics. You Kill Me is a mental health movie. It’s okay to make changes if you’re not happy. I recommended that you keep an eye out for this movie.
-
Miami, FL3 minutes agoMay a steadying presence as Cards hold off Marlins in Miami
-
Boston, MA9 minutes agoTyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe flex in Boston: Takeaways from Celtics-76ers Game 2
-
Denver, CO15 minutes agoMotorcyclist seriously injured in Denver hit-and-run crash – AOL
-
Seattle, WA21 minutes agoBrock: 2 drafts fits at edge rusher for Seattle Seahawks
-
San Diego, CA27 minutes agoJoseph Allen Oviatt – San Diego Union-Tribune
-
Milwaukee, WI33 minutes agoMilwaukee Brewers overpower Detroit Tigers to win 12-4
-
Atlanta, GA39 minutes agoWhat this food hall could mean for a south Atlanta neighborhood
-
Minneapolis, MN45 minutes agoEllison, Minneapolis, St. Paul update lawsuit against Operation Metro Surge with new data