Netflix’s Uglies delves into significant themes within a dystopian setting, showcasing a stellar ensemble cast.
The movie, adapted from Scott Westerfeld’s beloved YA book series, has been a long-in-the-making project, initially announced in 2006.
Uglies revolves around Tally Youngblood, a teenager in a world ravaged by humanity’s reliance on fossil fuels.
This sci-fi narrative demands exceptional talent to bring its complexities to life effectively.
After facing multiple setbacks, actor Joey King took the reins to bring this venture to fruition.
Finally, Uglies is now on Netflix, with King leading a talented cast that includes Chase Stokes, Keith Powers, Brianne Tju, and others.
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Who plays Shay in Uglies? Meet Brianne Tju
Californian actress Brianne Tju started her acting career in the 2007 Disney Channel series Cory in the House.
She landed her first movie role in 2015’s Pass the Light.
Transitioning to more significant roles, she joined the main cast of Life After Failure in 2017 as Jasmine.
Subsequently, she made appearances in popular shows like 9-1-1 and A.P. Bio in 2018.
Tju then took on leading roles in the series I Know What You Did Last Summer in 2021 and High School in 2022.
In Netflix’s Uglies, Tju portrays Shay, a defiant Ugly who shares a birthday with Tally.
Their friendship blossomed after Peris departed for New Pretty Town, leading to a strong bond between them.
Shay hesitated about embracing the transformation into a Pretty, eventually deciding to escape to the Smoke.
This decision left Tally grappling with the aftermath of Shay’s departure.
Brianne Tju loved the Uglies book series in elementary school.
Tju told PEOPLE that despite not fully grasping her identity, the actress found a connection with Scott Westerfeld’s renowned novels, which feature an unconventional heroine and a supportive friend who reveals the truth.
“When I was younger, it was more Tally’s journey that I was getting lost in. Now I can really appreciate her journey and the fact that yes, she’s the hero, she’s the lead of this story, but she doesn’t start out with kind of this hero mentality,” Tju said.
Tally and Shay undertook an adventure filled with action to break free from the beauty norms and societal values in their dystopian world.
Tju highlights how this mirrors modern society’s obsession with social media, filters, and cosmetic enhancements.
“This movie is a great reminder to be critical of these things that we do automatically or feel obligated to do. Whether that be following trends in terms of beauty standards or using filters and Facetune on our Instagrams,” she said.
Identifying these beauty standards played a crucial role in Tju’s filming journey as her character undergoes a significant change towards the film’s conclusion, facing government intervention to undergo the “pretty” procedure.
Tju expressed how scrutinizing her appearance with the film’s team to determine alterations for societal acceptance was a challenging process but one that held deeper significance.
Despite the challenges of portraying this change on screen, Tju hopes that it prompts viewers to reflect on the importance of personal choice and critical self-assessment regarding altering appearances in society.
“This movie isn’t condemning surgery, it’s just saying that you have a choice. In no way do you have to follow these beauty standards in order to be valuable,” Tju says. “I think the greatest freedom that we can have is fighting for self-worth and autonomy for one another.”
Olekanma Favour is a resourceful, self-motivated, and result-driven writer with a passion for crafting compelling narratives and insightful content. She loves tackling complex topics and weaving engaging stories.
When she’s not writing, Olekanma enjoys immersing herself in a good book, exploring new cuisines, and discovering new cultures.