Podcast Summary: "Lurker" Takes Home Best First Feature, First Screenplay At Independent Spirit Awards
Podcast: All Of It
Host: Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Date: February 16, 2026
Overview
This episode of All Of It explores the critically acclaimed independent film Lurker, which recently won Best First Feature and Best First Screenplay at the Independent Spirit Awards. Host Alison Stewart is joined by Lurker's writer/director Alex Russell and lead actor Theodore Pellerin. Their conversation delves into the film’s psychological themes of belonging and loneliness, the creative process behind character development, and the realities of fame and financial precarity in the entertainment industry.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Nature of Fame and Social Gravity
-
Fame as Setting vs. Theme:
- Alex Russell emphasizes that while the movie is set in the world of rising fame, it’s really about inherent dynamics of group socialization and belonging.
- Quote:
"I wasn't thinking that much about fame. I was thinking more about sort of the gravity of a person... fame was sort of almost like a setting, an extreme version of all this."
— Alex Russell [02:19] - He compares the dynamic to that within any friend group, noting that these “icky facets of human existence” are both funny and insightful.
-
Parasocial Relationships:
- The film focuses on Matthew, a fan, who gradually insinuates himself into the life of Oliver, a rising singer, revealing how the search for belonging can become toxic.
2. Character Motivation and Development
-
Matthew’s Desire to Belong:
- Theodore Pellerin describes his character as fundamentally seeking acceptance, initially approaching Oliver with an almost childlike earnestness despite manipulating circumstances.
- Quote:
"I really see him as kind of just a child trying to make friends in quite a very honest way... It was always about just really wanting to belong to something and just the fear of being rejected."
— Theodore Pellerin [04:01]
-
Shifting Perceptions:
- Theodore explains Matthew’s evolution from idolizing Oliver to seeing him as another flawed individual, which shifts the power dynamic.
- Quote:
"He goes through a disillusionment... They're just at a different place. So I think I kind of see them on the same spectrum, just at different ends of it."
— Theodore Pellerin [11:17]
3. Genesis and Writing Process
- Writing During Quarantine:
- Alex began writing the script with a feeling, not a fixed theme, during quarantine—seeking to unpack emotions such as loneliness, community, and the pursuit of recognition in Los Angeles.
- Quote:
"I more so just had a feeling inside me that I wanted to explore and sort of purge and extract and unravel, and I knew that themes would come out of that..."
— Alex Russell [05:08] - He describes LA as a place full of people seeking to belong, yet “there is no way to do that” because fame is “trying to be known and seen by an infinite quantity.”
- Memorable moment: Alison responds, “Preach. You were talking to the choir.” [07:14]
4. Directing and Approach to Filmmaking
- Directorial Reluctance & Style:
- Despite writing the script, Alex did not initially plan to direct but was convinced by collaborating producers. He reflects on the importance of specificity in tone, authenticity in details, and his desire for hyper-intentionality with uncomfortable, “cringe” humor and dynamics.
- Quote:
"I would have never directed the movie if someone else really wanted to do it... a lot of what makes the movie work comes down to very small choices... the sort of cringe nature of what makes people uncomfortable... that is all hyper intentional."
— Alex Russell [08:53]
5. Class and Financial Precarity in the Story
- Subtle Social Positions:
- Both Oliver and his group operate in a world of temporary, unstable success—none of them are truly secure, and everyone is grasping at something tenuous.
- Quote:
"Oliver's not in like a glass mansion in the hills. He's in like a rental place... friends are all not on the payroll... it's all very slippery."
— Alex Russell [13:22]
6. Performance: Acting in Silence
- Unspoken Truths:
- Theodore shares his perspective on the challenge and strength of non-verbal acting, emphasizing how dialogue is rarely the full truth and that powerful writing allows for authentic, silent moments on screen.
- Quote:
"Dialogue is never—it's always just keys for what's really happening... I think silence is always stronger on film than dialogue. It's where most of it happens, I feel a lot of the time."
— Theodore Pellerin [15:14]
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On fame as a void:
“Fame is sort of like this sort of infinite void of nothingness... you’re trying to be known and be seen by an infinite quantity. You know, fame is like that, I think, the feeling of wanting community, but from the entire universe or something.”
— Alex Russell [05:08] -
On authenticity:
“A lot of what makes the movie work comes down to very small choices, whether it's even just down to the authenticity of these, you know, wardrobe or something like that... just knowing what's going to work for this world.”
— Alex Russell [08:53] -
On the reality of the ‘inner circle’:
“They're just at a different place. So I think I kind of see them on the same spectrum, just at different ends of it.”
— Theodore Pellerin [11:17]
Key Timestamps
- 00:12: Introduction to the episode and topic
- 02:19: Alex Russell on focusing on social gravity over fame
- 04:01: Theodore Pellerin on Matthew’s motivations
- 05:08: Writing process and themes of loneliness, community, and belonging
- 08:53: Alex Russell on becoming a director and the film’s tonal specificity
- 11:17: Theodore Pellerin on Matthew’s changing view of Oliver
- 13:22: Discussion of class and financial instability in the world of the film
- 15:14: Theodore on the power of acting without dialogue
Conclusion
This episode provides a rich look into Lurker’s creative process and thematic resonances. Both Alex Russell and Theodore Pellerin reveal the film’s deeper truths about human connection, the need to belong, the illusion of fame, and the intricate dynamics among those on its periphery—all with wit, candor, and deep insight. For anyone interested in the mechanics of indie filmmaking, storytelling, or the psychology of fandom, this episode is a must-listen.