Joey King talks about “boosting Yassification” for “Uglies”

Author Scott Westerfeld never believed that his 2005 novel “Uglies” would be made into a film for one simple reason: “There is no one in Hollywood who wants to make a film about ugly people.”

Still, he had a message for his book's young fans hoping to one day see Tally Youngblood's coming-of-age story on the big screen. “One of you is going to be a film producer,” Westerfeld told classrooms and bookstores full of prepubescent readers. “And lo and behold, 20 years later, someone who read it as a 12-year-old is largely responsible for making it happen.”

That person is actor and executive producer Joey King, who stars as Tally in the Netflix adaptation of the novel, available to stream starting Friday. In this dystopian world, everyone is considered “ugly” until they undergo mandatory plastic surgery at age 16 that transforms them into a “pretty one.” But that beauty comes with an unexpected price—the surgery fundamentally changes who they are.

King read the book in her formative years, but getting the project off the ground wasn't easy. “I didn't know I'd be pitching the film to Netflix when I was 17 or 18, shooting it when I was 22, and it wouldn't come out until I was 25. Life is funny in that way!”

But King's passion for the source material has carried her through the years-long process of bringing the film to audiences. “This book meant so much to me at that age and really carried me through my teenage years. It improved my own sense of self-acceptance and self-image. I'm really looking forward to just nodding to my 11-year-old self and saying, 'We did it!'”

Although nearly two decades have passed since the book was published, the themes of “Uglies” have never been more relevant: The faces of the Pretties strongly resemble TikTok beauty filters and run-of-the-mill fillers used by influencers.

You'd be forgiven for raising your eyebrows when you see King as gorgeous as he is, but she says that perceptions of beauty are distorted by her society's expectations. “The truth is, there's no distinction between the ugly and the pretty in our stories. The only difference is that they do something terrible to our brains. They basically increase your Yassification.”

Among the suspects is “Outer Banks” star Chase Stokes, whose character Peris goes under the knife at the beginning of the film. “It's tricky to see the Pretties as some kind of original TikTok house and immediately want to throw up,” he says, laughing. “It's scary. What's going on?”

Stokes says diving into this character was an exciting opportunity to show audiences he can go beyond his famous “OBX” role. “When you're in a situation like I was where you get to play the same character for several years, it's always fun to challenge yourself and do something outside of your comfort zone. And this character definitely bears no resemblance to John B from the beginning to the end of the film,” he says. “Chase is more than just John B, and this is just the beginning of it.”

Stokes expects young viewers to see a similar theme in “Uglies.” “I really hope that the younger generation just treats themselves and gives themselves the opportunity to step away from social media for a second or just the idea of ​​being physically the perfect version of human existence and look more inward. I think we've kind of lost touch with those deep dives,” he says.

King also hopes the film's message of informed consent and bodily autonomy has an impact on young people discovering the story for the first time. “I think a lot of people, especially in an election year, can feel the burden of what that means: not being able to choose what happens to your own body. So I hope this film reminds people that despite all the societal pressures or the things you see on TikTok or Instagram, there is always a choice, and whatever you do with yourself and your own body, just make sure it's what defines you. You Happy.”