Author Scott Westerfeld never thought his 2005 novel “Uglies” would be made into a movie, for one simple reason: “No one in Hollywood wants to make a movie about ugly people.”
But he had a message for young fans of his book who hoped to one day see Tully Youngblood’s coming-of-age story on the big screen. “Someone is going to be a movie producer when they grow up,” Westerfield recalled telling classrooms and bookstores filled with preteen readers. “And now, twenty years later, the person who read the book when they were 12 is largely responsible for making it happen.”
That person is actor and executive producer Joey King, who takes on the lead role of Tully in the Netflix film adaptation of the novel, which premieres Friday. In his dystopian world, everyone is considered “ugly” until they undergo mandatory plastic surgery at age 16, transforming them into “beautiful.” But that beauty comes at an unexpected cost—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 that I was going to submit the movie to Netflix when I was 17 or 18, and I wouldn’t shoot it until I was 22, and it wouldn’t come out until I was 25. Life is funny that way!”
However, her passion for the source material carried King through the years-long process of bringing the film to audiences. “That book meant a lot to me when I was that age, and it really helped me navigate my teenage years. It helped me with my self-acceptance and self-image. I’m really excited to give my 11-year-old self a nod and show her, ‘We did it!’”
Chase Stokes as Pierce and Joey King as Tally in “Uglies.”
Courtesy of Netflix
Despite nearly two decades since the book was published, the themes of “Uglies” have never been more relevant, with beautiful faces increasingly resembling TikTok beauty filters and influencer mold fillers.
No one would think twice about raising an eyebrow at someone as ugly as King, but she says the characters’ perception of beauty is distorted by their society’s expectations. “The truth is, there’s no difference between ugly and beautiful people in our stories. The only difference is that they do something terrible to our brains. They basically make you more beautiful.”
Among those made into celebrities is “Outer Banks” star Chase Stokes, whose character Pierce undergoes surgery early in the film. “It’s hard to see Britt’s like a real home on TikTok and want to throw up,” he laughs. “It’s scary. What’s going on?”
Stokes says taking on the character was an exciting opportunity to show that he can go beyond his iconic role in “OBX.” “When you’re in a situation like I was in, where you can play the same character for years, it’s always fun to challenge yourself and do something outside your comfort zone,” he says. “And this is definitely a character that’s not John B, from start to finish. Chase is not just John B, and this is just the beginning.”
Chase Stokes as Pierce in “Uglies”.
Brian Douglas/Netflix
Stokes expects younger viewers to see a similar theme in “Uglies.” “I really hope that the younger generation will give themselves some grace and give themselves a chance to step away from social media, or just the idea of trying to be the perfect version of being human, and start going deeper inward,” he says. “I think we’ve kind of lost touch with doing those deep dives.”
Likewise, King hopes the film’s message about informed consent and bodily autonomy will resonate with young people who are discovering the story for the first time. “I think a lot of people, especially during an election year, can relate to the weight of what that means: not being able to choose what happens to your body. So I hope this film allows people to remember that even with all the societal pressures, or the things you see on TikTok or Instagram, there is always a choice, and whatever you choose to do with yourself and your body, just make sure it’s what makes you happy.” You happy.”
