‘DieRy’ Cast Discusses The ‘Creepy Power Dynamics’ Of Social Media & Its Effects On Mental Health
The cast of the new film ‘DieRy’ spoke about on a panel with HollywoodLife.com about the dangers of social media.
Mailer Tuchman Media’s DieRy opens audiences eyes to the true horrors of social media and its severe effects on mental health. In a panel discussion with HollywoodLife, the cast, starring Claudia Maree Mailer, spoke about the film’s depiction of modern social media usage and obsession, as well as the stigma surrounding mental health.
Interestingly, Brendan Robinson, who played Kevin in the psychological thriller, a creepy yet influential Instagram model photographer, discussed the unspoken power dynamic that has been created in the world of social media influencing. “There’s always been there’s always been guys that are creeps, that’s gone back way, but now you have this new element of this power dynamic. He has an audience,” the former Pretty Little Liars actor explained. “I feel like that’s the only way that I could play that character. Being a 5’8 skinny, not imposing guy. but I was holding power over this woman who really needed something and I was the person that had that.”
Claudia’s character Marie Clarke is an Instagram influencer who is begrudgingly using the app to get funds to pay for her degree. “Learning to not compare yourself to everyone’s greatest photo is such a necessary thing for our generation to go through,” the actress said of what she learned from playing the role. “It shouldn’t be necessary to reach that level of expectation of reality every single day.”
Samantha Strelitz, who played Marie’s best friend and wanna-be influencer Sarah, also spoke from her character’s belief of likes equating personal happiness. “You start to see your value defined by your number of followers and your number of likes and your audience who wants to tune in and see you bumbling around all day,” she explained. “I think that’s a really toxic thing that comes out of social media that we’re all getting attuned to. It can be very psychologically debilitating…There’s a lot of emotional pain in not getting those likes.”
DieRy is currently available to watch VOD!