Evanna Lynch, known for her role as Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter franchise, has been cast in the film “Influenced!” It is a black comedy set in the world of social media influencers and is inspired by Oscar Wilde’s novel “The Picture of Dorian Gray.” Lynch will portray Dora, a makeup sales assistant who rises to become a prominent influencer. However, as Dora becomes more ruthless in her pursuit of fame, her social media profile photo becomes increasingly distorted and grotesque. The film is written and directed by Nick Wild.
The film is scheduled to be filmed in the U.K. and Italy in Q1 2024. It will be produced by Silent D pictures’ Djonny Chen and Alchemy’s Lamia Nayeb St Hilaire, with casting by Nicci Topping. “Influenced!” will be Chen’s 26th film in the past three years, joining a repertoire that includes the Indonesian box-office hit “Before Night Falls” and the currently in production film “Parallel.”
The project holds personal significance for Lynch, as she is not only an actress but also a writer and activist who advocates for mental wellness and positive body image in young people, drawing from her own experiences with an eating disorder.
Lynch stated that the script written by Nick amusingly portrays the decline of a person’s mental and moral state when they blur the line between reality and a filtered fantasy life. The story of “Influenced!” explores the universal struggle of falling into the everyday trap of the algorithm, which always seems to anticipate our thoughts. Lynch expressed enthusiasm for her role as Dora and contributing to the portrayal of this intriguing and forewarning story.
Wild stated that the development of this project has been a personal passion for several years and they are pleased to collaborate with Evanna to present a modern interpretation of this timeless tale. The themes of identity and self-image explored by Oscar Wilde remain pertinent today, particularly with the current societal preoccupation with seeking validation and worth through social media followers and filtered representations of one’s life on Instagram.
