The future of friendship is here — and things are looking a bit artificial.
Based on the critically acclaimed 2021 novel by Nobel Prize-winner Kazuo Ishiguro, “Klara and the Sun” — out in theaters Friday — stars Jenna Ortega as the titular Klara, an optimistic, solar-powered Artificial Friend who yearns to be someone’s companion. She finds that fellowship in Josie (Mia Tharia), a chronically ill teenager. The two become inseparable, despite great disapproval from Josie’s mother Chrissie (Amy Adams).
But audiences should not expect to see the 24-year-old — best known for her macabre role in Netflix’s “Wednesday” — with a deadpan expression or in a morose mood.
“People are not used to seeing me be so expressive and especially over the years I’ve become a little bit more introverted,” she said. “It was very futuristic and just visually different than anything that I’d ever done before. And it’s so rare that you get the opportunity to be so expressive and to be so big on screen.”
“It was very futuristic and just visually different than anything that I’d ever done before,” said Jenna Ortega.
(Sony Pictures Entertainment)
Directed by Taika Waititi (“Thor: Ragnarok,” “Jojo Rabbit”), the film is set in a dystopian society where the use of artificial intelligence is meant to address loneliness — a topic that feels all too pertinent.
One 2025 study by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that roughly a quarter of individuals under 30 say they use AI for companionship. A Pew Research Center survey of U.S. teens that same year found that 16% use chatbots for casual conversations while 12% rely on it for emotional support or advice.
Despite the subject matter, Waititi and Ortega said the film is not a commentary on artificial intelligence.
“It was like three years ago when we shot this,” Waititi said. “That whole [AI] thing has taken off since then.”
“It was like three years ago when we shot this,” said Taika Waititi. “That whole [AI] thing has taken off since then.”
(Matt Grace / Sony Pictures Entertainment)
“In the process of putting this project together, ChatGPT wasn’t really a part of discussion,” said Ortega, who added that she prefers audiences view the film in the same light as the 1984 sci-fi action flick “The Terminator.”
Still, that didn’t stop the pair from giving their opinions on the encroaching role that the technology is taking on in Hollywood. A Los Angeles Times survey over the summer of major studio job postings found that more than one in 10 was likely connected to AI, whether to build AI tools or defend intellectual property against unauthorized AI use.
“I don’t think [AI] has a place, or it cannot ever replace humans. I got into this whole filmmaking thing or into the arts because I wanted to work with people. I don’t wanna be sitting around in my home just pushing buttons,” said Waititi, who is also set to direct “Barn 8,” an adaptation of the satirical novel by Deb Olin Unferth. “The reality is it’s gonna be used, and it’s gonna be adopted probably more and more, and I don’t know what the best version of this is. It can’t replace people.”
While some companies have kept their AI plans under the radar, some notable stars have defended its use including “Star Wars” creator George Lucas, who this summer called it the “future”; “Goodfellas” director Martin Scorsese has openly embraced generative AI.
“Artificial intelligence isn’t creative. It mimics. Nothing about it is real or genuine,” said Ortega.
(Sony Pictures)
As for the “Klara and the Sun” star, she believes this to be a “weird transitional period” where AI is being integrated into everyday life but the “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” actor doubts that it can sustain itself.
“It’s the same way as looking at our phones makes everyone feel sick,” said Ortega, who is also cast in the upcoming December comedy “The Gallerist,” alongside Natalie Portman. “Artificial intelligence isn’t creative. It mimics. Nothing about it is real or genuine.”
Much like her character Klara, Ortega chooses to have faith in humans and their spontaneous wonder.
“I think there’ll be this wonderful sort of bubbling underground movement that brings back the importance of things coming from the source and individuals themselves,” Ortega said.
The future of friendship is here — and things are looking a bit artificial.
Based on the critically acclaimed 2021 novel by Nobel Prize-winner Kazuo Ishiguro, “Klara and the Sun” — out in theaters Friday — stars Jenna Ortega as the titular Klara, an optimistic, solar-powered Artificial Friend who yearns to be someone’s companion. She finds that fellowship in Josie (Mia Tharia), a chronically ill teenager. The two become inseparable, despite great disapproval from Josie’s mother Chrissie (Amy Adams).
But audiences should not expect to see the 24-year-old — best known for her macabre role in Netflix’s “Wednesday” — with a deadpan expression or in a morose mood.
“People are not used to seeing me be so expressive and especially over the years I’ve become a little bit more introverted,” she said. “It was very futuristic and just visually different than anything that I’d ever done before. And it’s so rare that you get the opportunity to be so expressive and to be so big on screen.”
“It was very futuristic and just visually different than anything that I’d ever done before,” said Jenna Ortega.
(Sony Pictures Entertainment)
Directed by Taika Waititi (“Thor: Ragnarok,” “Jojo Rabbit”), the film is set in a dystopian society where the use of artificial intelligence is meant to address loneliness — a topic that feels all too pertinent.
One 2025 study by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that roughly a quarter of individuals under 30 say they use AI for companionship. A Pew Research Center survey of U.S. teens that same year found that 16% use chatbots for casual conversations while 12% rely on it for emotional support or advice.
Despite the subject matter, Waititi and Ortega said the film is not a commentary on artificial intelligence.
“It was like three years ago when we shot this,” Waititi said. “That whole [AI] thing has taken off since then.”
“It was like three years ago when we shot this,” said Taika Waititi. “That whole [AI] thing has taken off since then.”
(Matt Grace / Sony Pictures Entertainment)
“In the process of putting this project together, ChatGPT wasn’t really a part of discussion,” said Ortega, who added that she prefers audiences view the film in the same light as the 1984 sci-fi action flick “The Terminator.”
Still, that didn’t stop the pair from giving their opinions on the encroaching role that the technology is taking on in Hollywood. A Los Angeles Times survey over the summer of major studio job postings found that more than one in 10 was likely connected to AI, whether to build AI tools or defend intellectual property against unauthorized AI use.
“I don’t think [AI] has a place, or it cannot ever replace humans. I got into this whole filmmaking thing or into the arts because I wanted to work with people. I don’t wanna be sitting around in my home just pushing buttons,” said Waititi, who is also set to direct “Barn 8,” an adaptation of the satirical novel by Deb Olin Unferth. “The reality is it’s gonna be used, and it’s gonna be adopted probably more and more, and I don’t know what the best version of this is. It can’t replace people.”
While some companies have kept their AI plans under the radar, some notable stars have defended its use including “Star Wars” creator George Lucas, who this summer called it the “future”; “Goodfellas” director Martin Scorsese has openly embraced generative AI.
“Artificial intelligence isn’t creative. It mimics. Nothing about it is real or genuine,” said Ortega.
(Sony Pictures)
As for the “Klara and the Sun” star, she believes this to be a “weird transitional period” where AI is being integrated into everyday life but the “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” actor doubts that it can sustain itself.
“It’s the same way as looking at our phones makes everyone feel sick,” said Ortega, who is also cast in the upcoming December comedy “The Gallerist,” alongside Natalie Portman. “Artificial intelligence isn’t creative. It mimics. Nothing about it is real or genuine.”
Much like her character Klara, Ortega chooses to have faith in humans and their spontaneous wonder.
“I think there’ll be this wonderful sort of bubbling underground movement that brings back the importance of things coming from the source and individuals themselves,” Ortega said.
The future of friendship is here — and things are looking a bit artificial.
Based on the critically acclaimed 2021 novel by Nobel Prize-winner Kazuo Ishiguro, “Klara and the Sun” — out in theaters Friday — stars Jenna Ortega as the titular Klara, an optimistic, solar-powered Artificial Friend who yearns to be someone’s companion. She finds that fellowship in Josie (Mia Tharia), a chronically ill teenager. The two become inseparable, despite great disapproval from Josie’s mother Chrissie (Amy Adams).
But audiences should not expect to see the 24-year-old — best known for her macabre role in Netflix’s “Wednesday” — with a deadpan expression or in a morose mood.
“People are not used to seeing me be so expressive and especially over the years I’ve become a little bit more introverted,” she said. “It was very futuristic and just visually different than anything that I’d ever done before. And it’s so rare that you get the opportunity to be so expressive and to be so big on screen.”
“It was very futuristic and just visually different than anything that I’d ever done before,” said Jenna Ortega.
(Sony Pictures Entertainment)
Directed by Taika Waititi (“Thor: Ragnarok,” “Jojo Rabbit”), the film is set in a dystopian society where the use of artificial intelligence is meant to address loneliness — a topic that feels all too pertinent.
One 2025 study by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that roughly a quarter of individuals under 30 say they use AI for companionship. A Pew Research Center survey of U.S. teens that same year found that 16% use chatbots for casual conversations while 12% rely on it for emotional support or advice.
Despite the subject matter, Waititi and Ortega said the film is not a commentary on artificial intelligence.
“It was like three years ago when we shot this,” Waititi said. “That whole [AI] thing has taken off since then.”
“It was like three years ago when we shot this,” said Taika Waititi. “That whole [AI] thing has taken off since then.”
(Matt Grace / Sony Pictures Entertainment)
“In the process of putting this project together, ChatGPT wasn’t really a part of discussion,” said Ortega, who added that she prefers audiences view the film in the same light as the 1984 sci-fi action flick “The Terminator.”
Still, that didn’t stop the pair from giving their opinions on the encroaching role that the technology is taking on in Hollywood. A Los Angeles Times survey over the summer of major studio job postings found that more than one in 10 was likely connected to AI, whether to build AI tools or defend intellectual property against unauthorized AI use.
“I don’t think [AI] has a place, or it cannot ever replace humans. I got into this whole filmmaking thing or into the arts because I wanted to work with people. I don’t wanna be sitting around in my home just pushing buttons,” said Waititi, who is also set to direct “Barn 8,” an adaptation of the satirical novel by Deb Olin Unferth. “The reality is it’s gonna be used, and it’s gonna be adopted probably more and more, and I don’t know what the best version of this is. It can’t replace people.”
While some companies have kept their AI plans under the radar, some notable stars have defended its use including “Star Wars” creator George Lucas, who this summer called it the “future”; “Goodfellas” director Martin Scorsese has openly embraced generative AI.
“Artificial intelligence isn’t creative. It mimics. Nothing about it is real or genuine,” said Ortega.
(Sony Pictures)
As for the “Klara and the Sun” star, she believes this to be a “weird transitional period” where AI is being integrated into everyday life but the “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” actor doubts that it can sustain itself.
“It’s the same way as looking at our phones makes everyone feel sick,” said Ortega, who is also cast in the upcoming December comedy “The Gallerist,” alongside Natalie Portman. “Artificial intelligence isn’t creative. It mimics. Nothing about it is real or genuine.”
Much like her character Klara, Ortega chooses to have faith in humans and their spontaneous wonder.
“I think there’ll be this wonderful sort of bubbling underground movement that brings back the importance of things coming from the source and individuals themselves,” Ortega said.
The future of friendship is here — and things are looking a bit artificial.
Based on the critically acclaimed 2021 novel by Nobel Prize-winner Kazuo Ishiguro, “Klara and the Sun” — out in theaters Friday — stars Jenna Ortega as the titular Klara, an optimistic, solar-powered Artificial Friend who yearns to be someone’s companion. She finds that fellowship in Josie (Mia Tharia), a chronically ill teenager. The two become inseparable, despite great disapproval from Josie’s mother Chrissie (Amy Adams).
But audiences should not expect to see the 24-year-old — best known for her macabre role in Netflix’s “Wednesday” — with a deadpan expression or in a morose mood.
“People are not used to seeing me be so expressive and especially over the years I’ve become a little bit more introverted,” she said. “It was very futuristic and just visually different than anything that I’d ever done before. And it’s so rare that you get the opportunity to be so expressive and to be so big on screen.”
“It was very futuristic and just visually different than anything that I’d ever done before,” said Jenna Ortega.
(Sony Pictures Entertainment)
Directed by Taika Waititi (“Thor: Ragnarok,” “Jojo Rabbit”), the film is set in a dystopian society where the use of artificial intelligence is meant to address loneliness — a topic that feels all too pertinent.
One 2025 study by the Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that roughly a quarter of individuals under 30 say they use AI for companionship. A Pew Research Center survey of U.S. teens that same year found that 16% use chatbots for casual conversations while 12% rely on it for emotional support or advice.
Despite the subject matter, Waititi and Ortega said the film is not a commentary on artificial intelligence.
“It was like three years ago when we shot this,” Waititi said. “That whole [AI] thing has taken off since then.”
“It was like three years ago when we shot this,” said Taika Waititi. “That whole [AI] thing has taken off since then.”
(Matt Grace / Sony Pictures Entertainment)
“In the process of putting this project together, ChatGPT wasn’t really a part of discussion,” said Ortega, who added that she prefers audiences view the film in the same light as the 1984 sci-fi action flick “The Terminator.”
Still, that didn’t stop the pair from giving their opinions on the encroaching role that the technology is taking on in Hollywood. A Los Angeles Times survey over the summer of major studio job postings found that more than one in 10 was likely connected to AI, whether to build AI tools or defend intellectual property against unauthorized AI use.
“I don’t think [AI] has a place, or it cannot ever replace humans. I got into this whole filmmaking thing or into the arts because I wanted to work with people. I don’t wanna be sitting around in my home just pushing buttons,” said Waititi, who is also set to direct “Barn 8,” an adaptation of the satirical novel by Deb Olin Unferth. “The reality is it’s gonna be used, and it’s gonna be adopted probably more and more, and I don’t know what the best version of this is. It can’t replace people.”
While some companies have kept their AI plans under the radar, some notable stars have defended its use including “Star Wars” creator George Lucas, who this summer called it the “future”; “Goodfellas” director Martin Scorsese has openly embraced generative AI.
“Artificial intelligence isn’t creative. It mimics. Nothing about it is real or genuine,” said Ortega.
(Sony Pictures)
As for the “Klara and the Sun” star, she believes this to be a “weird transitional period” where AI is being integrated into everyday life but the “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice” actor doubts that it can sustain itself.
“It’s the same way as looking at our phones makes everyone feel sick,” said Ortega, who is also cast in the upcoming December comedy “The Gallerist,” alongside Natalie Portman. “Artificial intelligence isn’t creative. It mimics. Nothing about it is real or genuine.”
Much like her character Klara, Ortega chooses to have faith in humans and their spontaneous wonder.
“I think there’ll be this wonderful sort of bubbling underground movement that brings back the importance of things coming from the source and individuals themselves,” Ortega said.
