Dylan O’Brien teases ‘wild and messy’ new LGBTQ+ drama Ponyboi

Dylan O’Brien has teased that his upcoming LGBTQ+ film Ponyboi is “f***ing wild and messy”.

River Gallo wrote and stars in the queer thriller based on a short film of the same name. It also stars The White Lotus‘ Murray Bartlett, Pose‘s Indya Moore, and You‘s Victoria Pedretti.

The titular Ponyboi is a New Jersey laundromat teller by day and sex worker by night. They are forced on the run after an encounter with a gangster goes terribly wrong.

O’Brien plays the macho hardman Vinnie, who is the boyfriend to Ponyboi’s colleague Angel (Pedretti) and becomes Ponyboi’s pimp and part-time lover.

Talking to E! News about the film and his connection to it O’Brien said he has “many” queer and trans people around him.

“It’s always been something natural to me to support people that I love and that I want to see – especially in this industry – telling stories, especially now.”

The actor has a queer sibling, Julz, a relationship that O’Brien has previously said he is “so grateful for how much it deepens my experience in this world.” However, in May Julz claimed the siblings hadn’t spoken in a year.

In his interview with E! News, O’Brien said he was “thankful” the film, shot in 2022, is being released now when queer people are under sustained attack in America.

“I’m so thankful that it’s coming out in this moment with what this country is experiencing in particular. It couldn’t be more of a meaningful moment for this movie to be coming out now,” he said.

The Twinless star also celebrated the performance of Gallo who makes their acting debut in the titular role.

“To see a film like this representing the trans community with a lead intersex character [like] we’ve never seen before – so in your face – it’s f**king wild and messy and it’s a wild ride.

“It’s such a ‘f–k you’ right now and the exact one that we need. It’s awesome and I’m just thankful and grateful to even be a part of it.”

Ponyboi is in cinemas in the US now. It is in select UK theatres as well, with a wider release planned for 23 July.