Haley Lu Richardson on ‘Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die’ Twist

[This story contains spoilers for Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die.]

Haley Lu Richardson is a real unique. You will wrestle to seek out one other actor who’s so authentically themselves in each side of the leisure enterprise. You additionally received’t discover a extra assorted portfolio of name new work than hers. 

Richardson is at present on the massive display screen in Gore Verbinski‘s Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, a sci-fi comedy that provides synthetic intelligence the roasting it rightly deserves. She additionally simply premiered Zi, her third unbiased drama with Kogonada, at Sundance. You may also catch her alongside Emilia Clarke within the Peacock streaming sequence, Ponies, the place she and Clarke play widows who step in for his or her deceased CIA operative husbands in the course of the late ‘70s portion of the Cold War. Last but not least, Richardson and her childhood best friend, Lily Kravetz, just put out a poetry book called I’m Sad and Horny, chronicling “the chaos of being a twenty-something girl in this world.”

In Don’t Die, the Arizona native routinely steals scenes as Ingrid, a celebration princess with electromagnetic sensitivity. It’s a formidable feat when you think about that she’s appearing reverse Oscar winner Sam Rockwell and the likes of Zazie Beetz, Michael Pena and Juno Temple. Her character’s allergy to cell phones and Wi-Fi has made human connection all of the harder, so Richardson took inspiration from a singer-songwriter who’s develop into a defining voice for many who really feel remoted and heartbroken.

“Honestly, Phoebe [Bridgers] is a crucial part of the emotional, physical, psychological development in my life,” Richardson tells The Hollywood Reporter. “I would love to collaborate one day. I was very much inspired by Phoebe for Ingrid — her energy, her mannerisms, her stance, her hair. We had a picture of Phoebe up in the hair and makeup trailer as one of our inspirations.”

As the creator of I’m Sad and Horny, Richardson didn’t notice that Bridgers concocted a viral tweet in the course of the pandemic that mentioned, “Finished Normal People and now I’m sad and horny …” Series co-lead, Paul Mescal, then responded, “I’m officially dead.” And in one other related coincidence, Bridgers shot again, “No, don’t die …”

“Oh my God, I did not know about that. I’m feeling mixed emotions right now because I’m such a Phoebe fan,” Richardson says. “Phoebe’s music makes me sad and horny, and it has really helped me accept my sadness inside. So it’s actually crazy to hear that she tweeted that. Maybe I’m just really in tune with her, or maybe she’s inspired me so much that I think like her now.”

In Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die, Richardson and Rockwell’s characters have a really distinctive relationship on display screen, one that’s explored through the Q&A under in spoiler-y element. The two actors additionally obtained to share a memorable second collectively off digital camera when Rockwell requested Richardson to assist him learn his now-famous The White Lotus monologue scene at some extent when he was nonetheless on the fence about accepting the job. Richardson, who starred on season two of Mike White’s smash hit HBO sequence, basically stood-in for Walton Goggins’ character. The latter’s eventual response to the brutally sincere speech spawned a number of the most hilarious response shots in latest reminiscence. But it seems that Richardson might have given Rockwell the nudge he wanted to decide to season three.

“I remember sitting in his trailer when he asked, ‘Would you run this scene with me?’ I obviously know how far [creator] Mike [White] will go with his White Lotus characters, but I was shocked when I heard Sam’s big monologue,” Richardson recollects. “I was like, ‘What is Mike on?’ So I read it with Sam, and he was still deciding if he wanted to do it for sure. He was like, ‘I don’t know, man. Are people going to think I’m a creep? Is this too much?’ And I was like, ‘Sam, I think you really have to do this.’”

Below, throughout a wide-ranging dialog with THR, Richardson additionally discusses why she went “method-lite” for her Don’t Die character, in addition to why she’s nonetheless optimistic in regards to the arts within the AI period.

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I’m sorry it’s important to spend Valentine’s Day on Zoom with me, particularly when you’re in Berlin.

Well, for this interview, we could be one another’s valentines.

Deal. Between the airplane message in Silicon Valley and also you doing headstands on the Berlinale carpet, Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die’s advertising and marketing has reached an entire new degree.

(Laughs.) I don’t know what occurred to all of us yesterday. It’s positively a wild, batshit, unhinged film, and we’re additionally like that in plenty of methods. Gore [Verbinski] and I positively are. So our energies mixed with the vitality of the film, and we have been simply unhinged yesterday. 

There was some peer strain? 

I’ve by no means felt extra vitality from the photographers on a purple carpet or press line or photograph name or no matter they’re referred to as than the photographers right here at [Berlinale]. You do one factor that’s wacky or untraditional, and they’re like, “Do it 20 times now! Do it again, but on your head!” I fall simply into the entice of “dance monkey,” however I had enjoyable doing it. I can’t assist who I’m. I’ve surrendered to it at 30. This is the way in which I’m for higher or worse. 

I’ve been questioning why you weren’t in Kogonada’s A Big Bold Beautiful Journey. I believed you’d be in all his films. Besides there not being an optimum position for you, is it as a result of Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die shot on the identical time? 

Did it?

Yeah, based on the web, each started taking pictures in April 2024. 

Actually, I do bear in mind texting with Kogonada whereas we have been each filming, however nobody requested me to be in A Big Bold Beautiful Journey. And it’s okay. I forgive him. 

Perhaps you possibly can’ve performed the bride on the marriage ceremony Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell meet at, nevertheless it’s such a short half that perhaps Kogonada didn’t really feel prefer it’d be price your time. 

At one level, I had despatched a headshot to Kogonada, and I believe [Columbus co-star] Rory Culkin did as effectively. Our headshots have been going to be a little bit Easter egg within the scene the place [Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Kevin Klein] ship Colin on his approach, however I suppose he lower them out. [Writer’s Note: Richardson proceeds to have a coughing fit that becomes a running joke the rest of the interview.] Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Choke to Death. I actually began choking on my very own breath and phrases. Thank you for bearing with me.

Of course. I’m guessing Zi greater than made up in your Big Bold absence?

Yes, Zi was the proper expertise to have with somebody like Kogonada, and it was additionally only a reward of a artistic expertise typically. I don’t know if you already know in regards to the nature of how it began and got here to be, nevertheless it was fairly distinctive and unbiased and superb. 

All I do know is that it was a response to all of the rigamarole he skilled on Big Bold. He wished to get again to one thing pure and with out plenty of fanfare. 

Well, within the decade since we met on Columbus, we’ve maintained this lovely friendship and respect for each other. Every time we meet for lunch or espresso or discuss on the telephone, we’d each share tales from what we’ve been working on and the way we’re rising as artists and as individuals. Some of them have been part of the massive machine of the trade. It has its upsides and constructive challenges, nevertheless it additionally has its soul-crushing bits that positively distract from the explanation why we each actually love to inform tales. 

For the previous couple of years, he’s been speaking about desirous to do one thing that’s simply really unbiased and pure with a really small group. I’ve been ready for it to be the best time and for him to have the spark of an concept, after which he requested me to return to Hong Kong [in October 2025]. I ended up studying loads as a result of all we had have been our instincts, and that takes an immense quantity of belief in your collaborators. It additionally actually linked me to trusting myself extra, which is tremendous useful in life and particularly with appearing.

I can’t wait to see it. Were you capable of learn the Don’t Die script with out your reps gifting away the key spoiler within the film?

Yeah, nobody spoiled it for me. They have been all actually excited for me to learn it as a result of an amazing script, sadly, is uncommon to return throughout. My mother learn it earlier than me too. She learn it the day that it was despatched to me, and he or she was like, “Haley, I’m not going to tell you anything about it, but I know you’re going to want to do it. You need to read this right away.” So I listened to my mom, and he or she was proper. Then I manifested that Gore would let me do it, and he did.

We’ll contact on the spoiler later. Does your mother often perform as your script filter/private reader? 

My mother reads all my scripts and sends me emails titled, “Mom’s two cents.” She truly has unimaginable instincts. She’s proper 98 % of the time. It’s fairly cute and fairly useful.

Your character, Ingrid, has electromagnetic hypersensitivity. She’s allergic to expertise, particularly cell telephones and Wi-Fi. Thus, she’s a rent-a-princess for younger youngsters’ outside birthday events as a result of they often don’t have telephones but. Has this character and this film altered your display screen time in any respect? 

She positively did whereas we have been filming. I went method-lite and deleted Instagram for the few months we have been in South Africa. I additionally by no means introduced my telephone to work. So as an alternative of getting 4 to 6 hours of display screen time a day, I had perhaps 15 to half-hour, and that was a extremely superb, inspiring reset. Since then, I’ve positively gone by phases the place I’m sucked into the vortex. And subsequent factor I do know, three weeks of my life goes by and a 3rd of it was spent on the telephone doing shit. 

Part of what drew me to the themes of this film and particularly to Ingrid was the truth that I’ve all the time had this consciousness/deep resistance to social media typically. I do love my Instagram, and it does suck me in, however I positively worth being current and residing my life a lot extra. My pals have mentioned all through my life how unhealthy of a texter I’m. It’s as a result of once I’m hanging out with individuals, I’m not often the one who’s checking texts. But I do assume that enjoying Ingrid and the ideas that this film provokes have made me much more conscious. That’s to not say I obtained a flip telephone. I, sadly, nonetheless have an Instagram and a smartphone.

Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die is probably the most anti-AI film to return out within the AI period. This expertise is being imposed on us, and it’s a risk to most walks of life, particularly artistic ones. You already had causes to fret as an actor, however because the creator of a latest poetry ebook referred to as I’m Sad and Horny, have you ever develop into much more against AI? 

Lily [Kravetz] did the entire artwork within the ebook with me, and he or she’s been my greatest buddy since we have been 11. We felt so proud upon having the ebook launched as a result of it’s one thing that AI may by no means make. Whether individuals prefer it or not, we will all the time really feel happy with that reality. All of the issues that I’ve skilled as a human — heartbreak, pleasure, progress, disgrace, coughing matches — are issues that AI may perhaps attempt to replicate, however it might by no means perceive the nuances and the precise lived expertise. The approach that Lily did the artwork is symbolic on such an inside degree, and solely she and I might know of those experiences. So it’s simply one thing synthetic intelligence would by no means perceive. 

But, yeah, I’ve plenty of emotions about AI. Sometimes, I fall into the entice of avoidance as a result of they’re overwhelming emotions. Still, I’m a really hopeful particular person, for higher or worse, and I actually consider strongly in my intestine that there’ll all the time be individuals who worth the irreplaceable human expertise and connection by artwork. AI will proceed to develop and get stronger, however I’ve to consider that there’ll all the time be individuals who prioritize human expression and human … What am I attempting to say?

Human ingenuity? 

What does ingenuity imply? 

Inventiveness, creativity …

Yeah, precisely. Therefore, so long as individuals worth that, I’ll all the time have an area to do the factor I like. I’m holding onto that hope.

You’re a famous buddy to all felines, so how do you’re feeling in regards to the cat imagery within the movie? 

Zazie [Beetz] and I each love cats a lot, and we love the massive cat centaur/bizarre, giant glitter-spewing penis factor. We simply adore it. It could be the most effective character within the film. I don’t essentially assume that it makes cats look unhealthy. If something, the film makes us look unhealthy. (Laughs.) I believe Ingrid says one thing towards the top of the film about this “warped, twisted, worst version of us,” and we, sadly, are answerable for beginning all this.

I believed I had been by some unhealthy breakups, however for Ingrid to be advised by her boyfriend Tim that he’d moderately reside in a digital actuality coffin than precise actuality together with her, simply brutal. 

Yeah, Tim is the one human she’s ever been capable of join with or be with, bodily and emotionally, in her life. So for him to totally do a 180 and abandon her in probably the most vile, disturbing, insane approach, it’s fairly tough.

Let’s get into the key spoiler of the film. It’s revealed that Ingrid is definitely the mom of Sam Rockwell’s “The Man from the Future.” He’s attempting to safeguard this AI superintelligence proper earlier than it launches in order that it doesn’t kill your character a few years later. How would you describe the day the place you cradled Sam Rockwell in your arms as if he’s your son?

As if? He is! (Laughs.) When he disappeared in my cradled arms, the remainder of the forged was having the simplest, most enjoyable day of their careers. They have been strolling round, smiling and hugging one another, whereas I used to be having this disaster, this psychotic break and this deep panic. So I positively felt like a loopy individual that day as a result of everybody was so emotionally regulated and completely satisfied and chill, and I bodily regarded like an insane particular person. Normally, when you might have a extremely intense, emotional, loopy scene like that, the opposite individuals round you’re additionally in that headspace. So there’s this vitality round you you could rely on, however very similar to Ingrid within the scene, I felt completely alone and on the precise reverse web page of everybody else. 

[Major spoiler question continues.] There are plenty of clues like when she desires to observe the dawn with Tim (Tom Taylor). Or when The Man from the Future goes off on her for not getting out of the way in which of the falling automobile. Did you and Sam really feel such as you didn’t have to depart any added breadcrumbs as a result of the script already had sufficient clues baked into it? 

Yeah, the script already had the proper quantity of clues. The first time I learn it, I used to be simply so to study extra about Ingrid because the film progresses. She’s really mysterious. She comes off like she doesn’t care, nevertheless it’s apparent that she deeply cares. She’s at a really crucial emotional time in her life, and also you simply wish to know why. 

As far as her and “The Man from the Future,” I’ve named him Derek. I really feel like I’m allowed to call him as a result of I’m his mother. There’s a bizarre relationship between Ingrid and Derek, and also you don’t know why he’s so against her going on the mission at first. You don’t know why he appears to care about her when he doesn’t actually care about anybody else. I then had this attention-grabbing revelation once I first learn the script and was realizing in actual time that Ingrid is his mother and he or she’s pregnant with him in the course of the mission. I had this bizarre realization hit me the place I used to be like, “Of course, she is!” It was virtually like I already knew it instinctively. 

When we did the scene the place the bizarre creepy AI boy is revealing it to Ingrid, I felt that too as Ingrid. So there was a deep unconscious draw or connection to this unusually dressed, rabid man that comes into Norms. It was extra than simply, “Fuck it. I’ll risk my life to follow this crazy person because I’m depressed and heartbroken and alone in the world.”

Did you and “Derek” (Rockwell) speak about The White Lotus since he obtained the last-minute supply to hitch season three when you have been filming?

First of all, I like that you just’re on board with Derek. And sure, he obtained that half provided to him after we have been in South Africa. I bear in mind sitting in his trailer when he requested, “Would you run this scene with me?” And I used to be like, “Sure!” I clearly know the way far [creator] Mike [White] will go together with his White Lotus characters, however I used to be shocked once I heard Sam’s huge monologue. I used to be like, “What is Mike on? How could this possibly fit into anything? What is happening?” So I learn it with Sam, and he was nonetheless deciding if he wished to do it for positive. He was like, “I don’t know, man. Are people going to think I’m a creep? Is this too much?” And I used to be like, “Sam, I think you really have to do this.”

So you heard his monologue for the ages earlier than Walton Goggins did. 

Yes, I’m Walton’s stand-in. (Laughs.)

I’ve liked your entire latest solutions to questions on whether or not you’d be prepared to return again for extra White Lotus. Your response is principally, “How is this even a question?” 

Yeah, it’s simply a type of exhibits that basically hits individuals. It’s so enjoyable, and Mike is simply actually sensible. So, yeah, returning would simply be a no brainer.

As season three was airing, did you hear the fan concept about Portia doubtlessly being Carrie Coon’s character’s daughter?

Yeah, my dad despatched me some article about that, and it was actually all rooted in the truth that we had the identical haircut. It was actually that easy. I used to be like, “Yeah, that’s how genetics work. If you have the same haircut, that’s how [blood relation] works.” (Laughs.)

I remorse to tell you that I’m solely midway by Ponies, however as quickly as I heard you have been being teamed up with Emilia Clarke, I simply knew the 2 of you’d be an ideal duo. I significantly love the second the place you mock her character for asking if she will be able to ask a query. That’s been a pet peeve of mine for many years.

Well, I remorse to tell you that I’m, in actual life, a type of individuals that claims, “Can I ask you something?”

Wow. 

I’m actually sorry. That’s why it was further hilarious that I mentioned that line as a result of I actually have been that particular person. I’m very sorry to everybody I’ve ever executed that to and to everybody I’ll do this to shifting ahead. It’s redundant and annoying.

A buddy of mine used to do it each time we frolicked, and regardless of repeatedly telling him how pointless it was, he stored doing it for over a decade.

And even in the event you mentioned no, he’d nonetheless ask it anyway. 

Exactly!

It’s actually silly.

I’ve one final query relating to your ebook. Was the title I’m Sad and Horny impressed by that well-known Phoebe Bridgers’ tweet the place she mentioned, “I’m sad and horny,” after watching the present Normal People in the course of the pandemic?

Oh my God, Phoebe Bridgers mentioned, “I’m sad and horny”?

Yes, after which Paul Mescal responded, which led to an entire factor between them.

Oh my God, I didn’t learn about that. I’m feeling combined feelings proper now as a result of I’m such a Phoebe fan. I simply love her music a lot. Phoebe’s music makes me unhappy and sexy, and it has actually helped me settle for my unhappiness inside, which additionally makes my horniness deeper in a bizarre approach. (Laughs.) Honestly, Phoebe is a vital a part of the emotional, bodily, psychological growth in my life. So it’s truly loopy to listen to that she tweeted that. Maybe I’m simply actually in tune together with her, or perhaps she’s impressed me a lot that I believe like her now. I don’t know.

I hope this instance of two nice minds pondering alike results in a team-up sometime.

I might like to collaborate with Phoebe in the future. I used to be very a lot impressed by Phoebe for Ingrid — her vitality, her mannerisms, her stance, her hair. We had an image of Phoebe up within the hair and make-up trailer as one in every of our inspirations.

Who would’ve thought that my final query a few 6-year-old Phoebe Bridgers tweet would tie your latest work collectively so effectively?

It’s your human ingenuity, as I google ingenuity. Thank you for asking nice questions and for placing up with my choking.

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Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die is now enjoying in film theaters.