Alana Haim explains why she couldn't stop apologizing to Zendaya between takes on “The Drama”

Mike MillerThu, April 2, 2026 at 1:00 PM UTC

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Zendaya and Alana Haim in 'The Drama'Credit: A24

Alana Haim is venturing into uncharted territory with her latest role in The Drama.

For the first time in her burgeoning acting career, which began in 2021 with Paul Thomas Anderson's Licorice Pizza, the pop star is playing a character totally foreign to her real-life personality — at least, she really hopes so.

"She's so mean!" Haim tells Entertainment Weekly of her character in a Zoom interview alongside Mamoudou Athie, who plays her onscreen husband. "I don't think I'm a mean person…You could ask Mamoudou."

"She's always been sick. She beat me up," he deadpans.

Mamoudou Athie and Alana Haim in 'The Drama'Credit: A24

"I've never been that person that's so insanely blunt and mean and doesn't care if she's upsetting people," Haim continues. "I think that was why it was so fun to play. It was basically the first time I was playing a character that was so not me."

In the dark comedy from Dream Scenario director Kristoffer Borgli, Haim plays Rachel, the outspoken maid of honor to Zendaya's Emma, who's engaged to Robert Pattinson's Charlie. Charlie and Rachel's husband, Michael (Athie), are best friends, which is how the two women know each other.

The titular drama that drives the movie is sparked when the two couples go taste-testing for the wedding. After a few too many glasses of wine, Rachel goads a reluctant Emma into sharing the worst thing she's ever done — and when she finally relents, her disturbing answer ends up threatening her engagement. But in the moment, no one seems more upset by the confession than Rachel, who storms away despite her prior promises not to judge.

Zendaya and Robert Pattinson in the dinner sceneCredit: Courtesy of A24

"Shooting that scene at the dinner table, we were having the best time," Haim recalls. "But it's so hard because right before it ends, I'm screaming at Zendaya. So it'd be like, 'Cut,' and then me being like, 'I'm so sorry!'"

Haim might not have gotten the opportunity to play this character so unlike herself had she not stepped outside her comfort zone in another way. "It was the first time that I went to a movie by myself," she says of seeing Dream Scenario. "I usually have my siblings with me, but I think we were making our album, so my sisters were just too tired to come with me, but there was something in me that I was like, I need to go see this movie."

Without her famous sisters by her side, Haim admits feeling some social anxiety at a post-screening party. "I genuinely felt like I was in seventh grade again because I was alone," she jokes. That's when the filmmaker introduced himself, and the two quickly hit it off.

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When Borgli later offered her a role in his next movie, Haim says the director didn't exactly explain the character's unique personality. "He didn't actually say, 'Rachel is such a bitch.' He never really told me that part about it. He was just like, 'I have this movie. I think that you would be great for it,'" she says with a laugh, quipping, "Because again, I'm nothing like Rachel, nothing like her. Don't know what he saw in me in that aspect."

To make a convincing Rachel, Haim says, "I really had to be like, Okay, I have to harness this anger in my body. I have to find anger. Gotta find anger, gotta find screaming. But it was so fun playing a character that was so out of my wheelhouse. I was like, I have no reference. I would hope. Mamoudou, what would you say?"

"There was a threatening tone with what you asked," Athie says with a laugh. "No, I think you're the best, Alana. You're so kind and very sweet, but you can turn it on, man."

Robert Pattinson and Zendaya in 'The Drama'Credit: A24

"I know. I apologize so much," Haim adds. "I apologized after every take. I was like, 'I'm so sorry.'"

"I had a teacher that said an actor's job is to disturb the air in the room, and you really can do that. I was like, Jesus," Athie continues. "It does the other actors' jobs for them. It's a wonderful thing to be able to do."

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Still, Athie admits he doesn't think Rachel is as terrible as Haim makes her out to be.

"I don't think she's that bad, to be honest," he says. "I mean, she's certainly type A…but when I think about the movie and what she's met with and just the whole situation, I understand to an extent her disagreement."

No matter whose side you're on, the movie is sure to stir up plenty of controversy when Emma's dark secret is finally revealed. Decide for yourself who's in the right when The Drama hits theaters on Friday.

on Entertainment Weekly

Original Article on Source

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