By Jenna Ortega walked the red carpet at the BFI London Film Festival on Thursday night with a message for the AI age: put the phone down. Her new film, the dystopian sci-fi “Klara and the Sun,” had its world premiere at the festival, and the star hopes it reminds audiences to live in the moment.
Jenna Ortega (Credits: Variety)
A Plea To Be Present
Speaking to Variety on the red carpet, Ortega said the film made her reflect on how all-consuming technology has become. She urged people to “put our focus on one another and put down the computers and phones,” adding that viewers should “remember to be present and to appreciate people while they’re standing right in front of you.”
It is a striking message from a film about artificial intelligence — and one that fits the story perfectly.
Taika Waititi’s Long-Awaited Adaptation
“Klara and the Sun” is directed by Taika Waititi and adapted from Nobel laureate Kazuo Ishiguro’s bestselling 2021 novel. Ortega stars as Klara, a solar-powered “Artificial Friend” — a gentle, wide-eyed companion android who runs on sunlight and hope. Bought by a mother (played by Amy Adams) for her sick teenage daughter Josie (newcomer Mia Tharia), Klara must make difficult choices that put her own existence at risk.
The ensemble also includes Aran Murphy, Steve Buscemi, and Natasha Lyonne. The film was shot in New Zealand in early 2024 but sat on Sony’s shelf for more than two years before finally getting its release.
A Departure For Ortega
The role marks a sharp turn from the dark characters that made Ortega famous — from Wednesday Addams to her turns in Scream and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice. Klara is optimistic, sincere, and emotionally open, a performance the festival has described as luminous.
“Klara and the Sun” opens in theaters in the United States on October 23 via Sony Pictures Releasing.
Also Read: The Mummy 4 Officially Titled The Mummy: Book of the Dead as Brendan Fraser and Rachel Weisz Return
Source: Variety — read the full story there.
