Dylan O’Brien Says “Reboot Mania” Led Him to ‘Ponyboi’: “I Get Tired of Watching the Same Shit”

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Ponyboi star Dylan O’Brien has never minced words about the type of work he wants to make.

In today’s film industry, where many actors from his generation are drawn towards superhero franchises and Star Wars, O’Brien has consistently shown no desire for such parts. Previously, he had a glimpse into the world of intellectual properties as the lead in three adaptations of the Maze Runner books, which collectively earned over $900 million with a production budget of approximately $150 million. Instead, he has chosen to support up-and-coming independent storytellers, with River Gallo, the writer-star of Ponyboi, being the latest example of his commitment.

Over the past decade, my professional journey has been a whirlwind of reboots, and the entertainment industry often seems to be stuck in a loop. As an artist, it’s crucial for me to advocate for unique narratives that are underrepresented and amplify fresh voices that aren’t always heard.

In the movie Ponyboi, written by Gallo and directed by Esteban Arango, we follow the story of Ponyboi (played by Gallo himself), an intersex sex worker who finds himself in desperate circumstances. These events force him to leave New Jersey quickly, escaping from his dangerous pimp Vinnie (portrayed by O’Brien) and a powerful mob family who pose a significant threat. Although Vinnie is the first antagonist for O’Brien’s character, he seems reluctant to fully identify with the traditional role of a villain.

O’Brien stated, ‘He wasn’t someone I found dislikable. In fact, I admired him for being so charismatic and funny, yet also a skilled manipulator and downright despicable.’

In their latest chat with THR, O’Brien also delves into another forthcoming independent film venture titled “Twinless”, as well as the quirky production known as “Sam Raimi’s Send Help”.

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Ponyboi’s goatee-like beard and your recent mustache have shown a wide variety in your facial hair styles recently.

(Laughs.) Why not, right? If you’ve got it, carve it up and flaunt it.

I found the character from “Ponyboi” to be the first one I truly disliked among your creations. The character in “Not Okay” was rather unscrupulous, but I wouldn’t categorize him as the villain of that film. Is Vinnie/Vincenzo the first true antagonist you’ve developed?

Appreciate your mention of Vincenzo! Indeed, he presents a unique challenge in our production. And yes, some might say he’s my first significant antagonist. However, ultimately, it’s up to others to make that call. As with any artistic endeavor, there’s room for interpretation, but it’s challenging to overlook the fact that Vincenzo certainly fits the role of the story’s villain.

Given your tendency to portray likable, compassionate characters, was it because of this reason that you chose a drastically different role instead?

To put it another way, I didn’t find him unpleasant per se, yet he is truly despicable with his violent behavior, manipulation, deceit, and overall contemptible nature. However, as a captivating character, there’s room for both aspects. In fact, I found him quite amusing, particularly at the start. The evolution of his character into the scoundrel he becomes is fascinating to me. It’s astonishing, given how charming and alluring he initially appears. The intrigue of this complex villain is what appeals to me – someone who is both delightfully entertaining yet a masterful manipulator, a liar, and an utter scoundrel. I enjoy writing that incorporates such diverse qualities.

Do some performers assert they must always justify their characters, regardless of circumstances? In your view, do you agree with this stance as per your response, or do you feel it’s overstepping boundaries?

I don’t align with that perspective. I don’t generally act in the same manner. I’ve developed a comprehensive backstory for this person, understanding his upbringing, journey, and how he came to behave and make certain decisions. However, I wouldn’t stand by him unwaveringly. His actions are beyond redemption, and discussing his traumatic childhood that led to the creation of his toxic environment would consume a whole day. Yet, I harbor empathy for everyone, but it doesn’t equate to forgiveness in this case.

Based on your text, it appears you are stating that having a well-known name can increase the chances of a movie getting financed, and you enjoy assisting independent filmmakers such as River Gallo, James Sweeney, Celine Held/Logan George, and David Stassen in bringing their movies to life. In simpler terms, it seems like you are interested in helping people get their projects off the ground, is that correct?

Indeed, it’s crucial in this field I’m involved with. I’m always eager to listen to fresh viewpoints. I don’t want to keep listening to the same narrators or perspectives daily. Repetition can become monotonous, and unfortunately, our industry often gets trapped in repetitive patterns as a response to what’s currently successful. It’s our responsibility to challenge these habits and strive to keep things diverse, particularly in today’s industry. The past decade of my career has been dominated by reboots, and the current trends tend to recycle content. As artists, it’s important for us to support unique stories that we seldom encounter and new voices that aren’t often heard.

Is the story of Ponyboi located in New Jersey, a place you spent a significant part of your youth? Does it still feel like ‘home’ to you there?

Absolutely! There’s no place quite like New Jersey-New York that feels like home to me. This region holds a profound significance in my life. My entire family hails from Long Island and the surrounding Jersey area, where I resided until I was 12. Those years left an indelible mark on me, making this place feel like my own city. It’s the city that sparked my admiration as a child. The sports teams here captured my heart and continue to be the ones I passionately support. Even after leaving at such a young age, New Jersey has remained a part of me, spiritually speaking. Adjusting to new places can be challenging, but I eventually came to appreciate Los Angeles in its own right. Yet, it will never replace the unique charm that the East Coast holds for me. It’s a connection that simply cannot be replicated elsewhere.

Did you and Victoria Pedretti have a particularly terrifying scene during filming that you both seemed to be apprehensive about for the entire production?

Was there a particularly unsettling moment between you and Victoria Pedretti on set that you both felt uneasy about throughout the shoot?

Both versions aim to convey the same meaning as the original statement in a more natural and easy-to-read manner.

Absolutely, that’s an insightful perspective. Often, people don’t fully appreciate how challenging it can be to film certain scenes. There’s a layer of intensity involved that can be quite visceral. As performers, our minds might understand that the situation isn’t real, but our bodies may take longer to catch up. This disconnect can lead us to experience strong emotions off-set, such as upsetness or mood swings. It’s not always easy to remember that these feelings are often a result of acting and not actual events. So, it’s important to be understanding with ourselves and acknowledge when we’re having a tough day due to the emotional demands of the scene and the actions required. Even seemingly simple tasks like yelling can trigger physical responses in our bodies, making us feel the effects in unexpected ways.

I’ve thoroughly documented the collaboration between Dylan O’Brien and Sarah Ramos on their Social Network project, but I haven’t had a chance to delve into your meeting with Andrew Garfield from last year’s TIFF event.

I’ve extensively covered the partnership between Dylan O’Brien and Sarah Ramos in their work on the Social Network, but I still need to find out more about your run-in with Andrew Garfield at TIFF last year.

Indeed, we had a great evening together, marking one of our longest conversations besides casual encounters. It was refreshing to chat with him, discussing aspects of our work in this industry, finding common ground on the challenges of maintaining a balance between life and work, and sharing insights on keeping some semblance of privacy while still thriving in our careers. We also delved into the topic of preserving a sense of normality in our lives amidst our chosen paths. Aside from that, we laughed, shared a few glasses of wine, and engaged in lighthearted banter. Our friendship circles overlapped, leading to some lively discussions about astrology and Chappell Roan, who was a favorite of his at the moment, as he played her tunes in his car. To wrap it up, he brought up the Social Network video once more, which added another layer of humor to our gathering.

[The next question/answer contains spoilers for Caddo Lake.]

Pondering the cause behind your Caddo Lake character’s demise consumed me quite a bit. I believe that his underlying goal was to ensure the safety of the young version of his mother, but considering the complexities it might have brought to the contemporary members of the family, perhaps his survival would not have been ideal.

Your observation is intriguing and seems to be a topic of discussion among the creators. While I can’t claim to speak for Celine and Logan, I can tell you they grappled with an aspect related to loop closure when it came to manipulating time within the context of their story. This was a significant debate during the writing process. Therefore, your comment aligns well with the narrative’s themes, as it was a matter of interest for both the creators and audience alike. There were discussions about this concept of loop closure, and I’ve even heard them address it before in interviews. However, I wouldn’t go so far as to say for certain that it involves loop closure, but it does relate closely to the idea.

How was Sam Raimi’s Send Help?

Quite extraordinary, he’s a truly unique individual. I must say, I have a strong fondness for him. I’m not sure if you’ve had a chance to chat with him yet.

I have, yeah.

As a gamer, I immediately clicked with this person due to our shared sense of humor. From the get-go, collaboration felt natural, like we’d known each other for ages. We’d chat about our work endlessly, but without any trace of stuffiness or gloom that can sometimes dampen things. Instead, it was a blast! This project is an offbeat swing, and I’m thrilled to be part of it. I’m curious and excited to see where it leads. If it takes off, it could be cool, weird, wacky, funny, and even murderous – all in one! It’s that kind of excitement that made me eager to hop on board.

Rachel [McAdams] turned out to be an indelible part of my memories. She’s truly unique, and working with her was an absolute joy. I cherished getting to know her, her family, and learning about who she is and how she functions. Despite our contrasting work styles, this disparity surprisingly led to a harmonious collaboration. We both, at least I believe, hold mutual admiration and respect for each other. Although we approach our work differently, these differences made us genuinely laugh. I felt truly understood and seen by her in our professional partnership, especially since she was my main scene partner. Through this experience, we learned a great deal from one another, which is the ideal outcome. This all took place while attempting something that we hoped would be successful. In essence, it was a daring move, but I’m content to have given it a try.

Twinless comes out in the fall. What itch did that movie scratch?

There were numerous instances of discomfort for me. To me, Twinless symbolizes many aspects of my life and career at this juncture. It was something I’ve consistently believed in and never abandoned. I stood by James for a considerable amount of time, and I take great pride in that. This project holds significant value to me because everyone else in town declined the opportunity to make this film. For years, we faced numerous moments where we doubted our judgement about the potential of this project. Repeated rejections can foster such feelings, especially when they accumulate over an extended period. Hence, it served as a powerful lesson on staying true to your instincts, sticking with what you believe in, and not backing down when something resonates with you – listening closely to that intuition instead.

Perhaps the project wouldn’t have succeeded with any other duo. It seems that only between me and James did things click as they did, given our shared medium, art form, and love for art in general. There’s something magical when a story resonates with you on a personal level, inspiring a desire to bring it to life. When I met James, we found this mutual inspiration and decided to collaborate. Our partnership developed organically, leading us to create the movie and helping each other grow. The final product has surpassed our expectations, leaving us both astounded that we managed to accomplish it. It feels like capturing lightning in a bottle for us.

I’m absolutely thrilled to support this project and share it with everyone, aiming to reach as many people as we can, naturally. [Movie launches] tend to pass by swiftly when they occur, and there won’t be another one for a while. So, I might never feel prouder of any accomplishment, so I want to savor this moment and stay fully engaged.

Finally, we discussed the decline of the baseball film a few years back. Do I see any signs of revival in your perspective now?

In every aspect of this industry, success hinges on what’s effective and profitable. A short while back, when the Lakers series “Winning Time” debuted, there were whispers of an ’86 Mets series in the works. I’m unsure about its current status, but at one point I discussed it with Rei Marcus Green, who was fresh off directing “King Richard.” He’s a big Mets fan, and we had a great conversation reminiscing about the Mets. Sharing Mets memories is usually just complaining about them, but fortunately that has evolved for us now.

Regarding the ’86 story, I’m still convinced that it holds something truly exciting that might come to fruition someday. I recently spoke with Rei again, who served on the Sundance jury this year. Although we exchanged a few texts, I didn’t inquire about the show’s progress since I felt it wasn’t appropriate. Therefore, I’m hopeful that there will be an opportunity for it at some stage. It just needs the perfect moment for someone to champion it, and perhaps that person could be me. We’ll find out eventually.

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Ponyboi is now playing in select movie theaters.

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2025-06-27 22:55