Camila Mendes on experimenting with genres in rom-com Upgraded: “Main appeal of this movie is its timelessness”

Directed by Carlson Young, the film is slated to premiere on Prime Video on February 9.

By Bollywood Hungama News Network -

February 7, 2024 - 4:26 PM IST

After becoming a household name with her popular role in Riverdale, actress Camila Mendes is all set to bowl fans over with her much-loved swoony charm. Playing Ana Santos, a broke but ambitious art curator intern from New York, Mendes will soon be seen in the upcoming Amazon Original movie Upgraded. The film takes viewers alongside the streets of London in this romantic comedy, where mistaken identities and luck-filled meet-cutes will steal their hearts this Valentine’s season.

Camila Mendes on experimenting with genres in rom-com Upgraded: “Main appeal of this movie is its timelessness”

Mendes, who also dons the hat of an Executive Producer for the film, felt an instant connection to Ana Santos and was excited to be fully involved in developing her character arc as well as the story. "What I love most about starring in projects I also get to produce, is having more authority to weigh in on creative choices," says Mendes. She adds, "I got to develop this script for months and sculpt Ana's character arc in a way that you normally don't get to do when you're solely hired as an actor."

She shared a similar vision with director Carlson Young for the character and the project, injecting fresh energy into familiar tropes, speaking highly of her collaboration with director Carlson Young she shared, "I adore Carlson. She's an actress, an actor’s director. What I really loved about working with Carlson was the fact that she knows how to talk to actors, gives incredible notes and is incredibly collaborative, always open to hearing our thoughts on the scene and the character. It really felt like working with an equal, somebody who respects your process. We were all aiming towards making the best film we could possibly make."

There's much more to the movie than a typical rom-com, notes Mendes. She highlights, "I think the main appeal of this movie is its timelessness. We're experimenting with a bunch of genres, it doesn't just fit into one, so there's something for everyone: a little romance, a little comedy and a little workplace drama." Upgraded follows the story of Ana Santos (Camila Mendes), who crosses paths with the handsome Will (Archie Renaux) after she gets upgraded to first class on a work trip. When he mistakes Ana for his boss – a white lie sets off a glamorous chain of events, romance, and opportunity, until her fib threatens to surface.

Alongside Mendes, Upgraded also stars Archie Renaux, Marisa Tomei, Lena Olin, Anthony Head and Aimee Carrero in pivotal roles. Directed by Carlson Young, the film is slated to premiere on Prime Video on February 9.