In James Croke’s sci-fi horror Latency, Sasha Luss plays Hana, a down-on-her-luck gamer with agoraphobia who begins to experience a break from reality while testing a new AI neural device. The film explores some of the dangers of AI and modern video games on people already suffering from social anxiety and mental illness.
I spoke to Luss just last year for her action-adventure film Sheroes, but it’s Latency that I think has brought the most out of her. It’s a challenging role for anyone, and Luss respectfully captures the anxiousness of someone with agoraphobia, while also the confidence of a professional gamer. Luss, who previously starred in the action thriller Anna, has a grip on the physical demands, as well.
A few days ago I got to spend a few minutes chatting with Sasha Luss about Latency, how she prepared for the role of Hana, any fears she has of AI, and her experience with video games. I had to know if she’s actually a gamer when those camera shut down! We also talked about working with influencer and social media star Alexis Ren, and director James Croke who created a claustrophobic, contained environment for Luss to work through.
Latency is in theaters now.
