Evanna Lynch is about to star in a gender-bent, contemporary version of Oscar Wilde’s classic novel, ‘The Picture of Dorian Gray.’
Evanna Lynch | Faye Thomas Via IMDb
Evanna Lynch is best known for portraying the insightful albeit offbeat and kooky Luna Lovegood within the Harry Potter franchise. Following Potter’s defeat of Voldemort, she went on to star in Addiction: A ’60s Love Story, My Name Is Emily, Madness within the Method, and more. Now, the 32-year-old Irish actress and activist is gearing as much as tackle the lead protagonist in Influenced! — a recent, gender-bent reinterpretation of Oscar Wilde’s magnum opus, The Picture of Dorian Gray (which has seen multiple cinematic adaptations dating back to 1945).
Influenced! often is the interpretation to take probably the most liberty with the source material, counting on the final premise but putting forth a more contemporary, millennial/Gen-Z-focused narrative.
For reference, The Picture of Dorian Gray revolves around a portrait of the young and exquisite Dorian Gray painted by Basil Hallward, who happens to be buddies with a dangerous influence, Lord Henry Wotton. When Dorian meets this hedonistic aristocrat Henry Wotton, he involves face the incontrovertible fact that his beauty will fade — a harsh reality for the person who, through Watton, has begun to benefit from the sensuous adventures, erotic rendevous, and splendid social hours his perfect face grants him. So, he sells his soul to stay eternally young. As Dorian stays wrinkle-free, his portrait ages — growing hideous with each sinful act and amoral escapade.
The story is sort of a timeless one. With themes spanning morality and corruption, social hypocrisy, youth and aging, lack of innocence, and the risks of vanity and narcissism, it should come as no surprise that this story has been tackled by many various filmmakers — recently in 2009 with Director Oliver Parker and in 2021 with Director Tamara Harvey on the helm. Succession star Sarah Snook is even set to take to the stage in London’s West End to play 26 characters in a Dorian Gray stage interpretation within the Fall of 2024.
But, what’s ‘Influenced!” about?
As for Influenced!, swap out the hand-painted portrait (that’s so Nineteenth-century) for an Instagram profile. And, swap out the young and attractive, suave and cunning young Dorian for Dora — a makeup sales assistant who transforms into one in every of the world’s biggest influencers, in keeping with Variety.
Dora, quite than pursuing a lifetime of debauchery, grows ruthless in her pursuit of unbridled Insta-fame. As she continues to take questionable actions because of this of egotistical ambition, her Instagram profile grows more hideous. Lynch plays Dora, but little is thought concerning the remainder of the solid on the time of writing.
Who is behind the film?
Nick Wild, who worked as a producer on the short Talking With Angels, The Banishing, and the TV movie MyBad! wrote the screenplay and can direct the movie produced by Silent D Pictures’ Djonny Chen (No Mercy, Before Night Falls, A Long Way to Come Home) and Alchemy’s Lamia Nayeb St Hilaire (9 Dead Gay Guys, Punch).
Why ‘Influenced!’ is significant to Lynch
As Variety notes, Lynch is a author and activist who promotes mental health awareness and body positivity, making this film’s narrative all of the more near home for the Harry Potter alumnus.
Lynch shared:
“Nick has written a hilarious script that vividly illustrates the slow mental and moral degradation that befalls a one that loses sight of the road between reality and a filtered imaginary life. With the algorithm all the time ten steps ahead, intuiting our next thought, ‘Influenced!’ is the story of an on a regular basis trap that none of us can appear to avoid. I’m so excited to be playing Dora and to assist bring this dark, interesting and ominous story to life.”
This one is certain to be an ultra-relevant (perhaps too relatable) darkly comedic journey into the risks and pitfalls of a social-media-crazed public.
A release date has yet to be announced, but be sure you check back with Thought Catalog for premiere information and further casting announcements.
