Summary

Technology’s impact on mental health explored through Alexis Ren’s role in Latency.
Ren values intention behind technology, leading viewers to consider their relationship with it.
Working with a first-time director, Ren emphasizes human moments in acting experiences.

Latency stars Sasha Luss as Hana, an agoraphobic video game developer who loses her grip on reality while testing a new neural computer interface. Model, actress, dancer, and Instagram influencer Alexis Ren co-stars as Jen, her kind best friend and neighbor. She tries to help Hana cope with her crippling social anxiety disorder.

Ren embraces themes of health and wellness. She believes if we don’t “heal trauma,” then technology will bring it up “sooner or later.” She bonded with Luss while filming and appreciated director James Croke’s patience. Ren wasn’t afraid to say “I don’t understand something.” She likened the experience to a creative “summer camp” and another step in her burgeoning career. Please watch above and read below our complete interview.

Technology Creates a New Path
Latency (2024) Release Date June 14, 2024 Director James Croke Cast Sasha Luss , Alexis Ren Main Genre Horror Writers James Croke

MovieWeb: There have been huge advancements in technology in recent years, including devices people can operate with their minds. Obviously, that could be brilliant for people who are disabled. But is that a negative for people who are already too interconnected with a computer?

Alexis Ren: I always just go back to this idea that technology’s not good or bad. It’s our intention behind it that creates the outcome for the future. I think once again, we have to look at, okay, does this align with my values? Or does this just make my life more convenient? I think just making sure that people are asking the right questions before they integrate it is what’s going to create the new path.

Building a Relationship On and Off-Screen
Lionsgate

MW: Sasha’s [Luss] character Hana, she’s agoraphobic, suffering from a crippling anxiety disorder. She gets this machine and it revolutionizes her life, but does so in a very negative way. She has you as a best friend who is willing to come and work with her. What was the process of building that relationship with Sasha like?

Related These Movies Perfectly Capture What It’s Like To Have Anxiety It’s a win-win situation when watching a good movie about anxiety can help reduce someone’s stress and remind them that they’re not alone.

Alexis Ren: Well, of course, I was nervous to work with Sasha, because I was a big fan of hers. I loved her movie. I think she was spectacular in it. I was just excited, nervous, and had all the emotions going. And then, obviously, we both come from a modeling background. It ended up being even better than I imagined. We instantly had a friendship. That was wonderful.

Alexis Ren: Because you never know with sets, sometimes you’re going to have to either project someone else onto that person to get that intimacy, or you kind of have to fake it. But with Sasha and me, we were lucky. We were actually very similar. And obviously, Sasha is nothing like Hana. She does have more of an intensity to her, and then I have more of a sarcastic kind of laid-back feeling. We naturally blended really easily.

Working With a First Time Director
Lionsgate Films

MW: You really embrace health and wellness. The primary character has a social anxiety disorder. Was that one of the reasons you wanted to be in this film?

Alexis Ren: Yeah, well, that was one of the reasons. Because I wouldn’t do just a scary movie just because it’s scary. What I loved about this was it had a really good backstory. And also just this idea of, if we don’t heal our trauma, it’s going to come up in this technology sooner or later. I loved that idea. I feel like people are going to come out of this movie asking themselves some really honest questions. There is a part of the film where her subconscious kind of takes over in a way, and we don’t know what’s real or not. That is going to happen to us, if not already happening to us, in some smaller micro-form. I just think it’s a really nice pointer and to [ask] some really honest questions.

MW: I spoke to [director] James Croke. He was very forthright. You would never believe that Latency was his first film. As an actress, someone who’s really just beginning your career as well, what’s it like working with a first-time director? Did you have any trepidation? What was he like on set?

10:09 Related Latency Director James Croke on His New Horror Film and Not Being a Fan of ‘Happy Endings’ James Croke explores what happens when technology unlocks a damaged mind in Latency.

Alexis Ren: It was so cool, because yeah, I’m fairly new to acting. I started in 2018, and then COVID hit, so it kind of just stalled everything. We kind of came in being on the newer side. We bonded because of that, and it was really cool. Because we were so comfortable. It was more friendship than anything else. I wasn’t afraid to say I don’t understand something. Then we could just kind of go back and forth until I understood it. And having that type of patience with the director is key. Because nuance is really what makes a movie special. Those tiny, tiny movie moments that you don’t think add a lot to the whole plot are actually what makes the movie iconic and special in a really unique way. Those human moments are what we live for, in real life and on screen.

The Future of Alexis Ren’s Career
Lionsgate

MW: You have another film coming out called Second Chances. What’s that about? Can you give us anything about that?

Alexis Ren: That’s a TV show, actually. It’s really cool. It’s beautiful. I think I filmed that about two and a half years ago. It’s been a minute, but I work with my co-star, AnnaLynne McCord. She was amazing. We are kind of like the duo in that it revolves around three maids who just have a bunch of things going on, and how our lives are interconnected. I thought it was really beautiful because there’s a love story and a lot of ups and downs throughout it. That was the set that tested me the most, just because some of the scenes were really intense. I learned and I understood acting on a deeper level because of that set. So hopefully, that will come out soon.

MW: Your career is blowing up. You’re doing a lot of cool stuff. Do you see yourself primarily now as an actress? Are you looking to other business ventures? What is Alexis’ next move in life?

Alexis Ren: I have so many things. I love acting. I think it’s just an ability to live so many different lives at once. I will always prioritize that. But there are so many things I want to do. I think that’s what’s so beautiful about the new idea of careers nowadays. They’re a lot more fluid. Maybe we like that, or we don’t, because sometimes we do like people sticking to their boxes. It makes us feel safe.

Alexis Ren: But I just hope that you people can kind of just go along with me for each path that I take, whether it’s wellness, whether it’s dancing, whether it’s just anything that I do. I think, for me, it’s art. Whatever I do, it’s just a different form of art and expression. So yeah, I just wish for everyone to do the same and not feel so tied to one thing like they have to identify with something in order to be valued in society. Because you can be fluid, and you can be multifaceted, especially for females. Just go do whatever you want.

Latency will be released theatrically on June 14th from Lionsgate.