I've always been an activist. My mother was an environmental activist, so from a very young age, I learned to take a stand—for environmental protections, for animals, for marginalized communities including the LGBTQ+ community, and as a woman, for women's rights. This passion weaves through all my projects. I'm particularly devoted to LGBTQ+ advocacy because of the incredible queer creatives who've shaped my life. Some of my dearest friends are trans, gay, queer and nonbinary. I often joke that if it weren't for gay men, and the fabulous drag artists I have had the pleasure of meeting, I wouldn't have learned to embrace my femininity while honoring my feminist strength—realizing I can be powerful and celebrate what femininity means to me as a woman. That's why it breaks my heart to see this country politicize LGBTQ+ rights, especially trans rights, attacking the safety and dignity of a community that simply deserves to live in peace and be respected. I made Mermaid to tell a deeply human story—through the lens of a child navigating their true gender identity, feeling isolated, searching for acceptance. When they meet Pepper and discover the queer community, they find that mother figure, those wings to finally fly and become who they truly are. Through this embrace, even the father comes to accept and love his trans daughter. I didn't want to jam politics down anyone's throat. I wanted to inspire through storytelling—showing what happens to these children when we create toxic laws, gaslight them, withhold support, and ostracize their families. These are people with every right to live in the United States, to be loved, to feel safe, and to be protected—not attacked for who they are. That's why I made this film. That's why I'm a passionate LGBTQ+ advocate. And that's why I'll continue lending my voice to these issues.

I had the pleasure of working with Finley Davidson, an incredible casting director out of New York, who assembled a remarkable ensemble for me. I was very specific that I wanted a nonbinary or trans child to play Cassie—to bring authenticity to the role. When we found Devyn McDowell, I was blown away not only by their tremendous talent, but by how natural and unselfconscious they were as an actor. They could draw from their own experience as a nonbinary young person—including being bullied in their community—and channel that into every fiber of Cassie's character. My direction to Devin was simple: "You are Cassie. There's no break between you and this character. I want you to come from an authentic place in every moment." We focused on being organic, being present, really listening rather than anticipating. I trusted Devin's instincts completely—they're a brave, natural actor who knows who they are. All those water sequences you see? Devin did them all, no stunt double. They understood this was integral to Cassie's journey, and I gave them the freedom to bring that journey to light while providing guidance when needed. For Pepper, I was originally looking for a 58-year-old African American gay or queer actor. Then Arturo Luiz Soria came through casting, and I just fell in love with him. He's younger, Latino, and he brought this unabashed playfulness, this quality I hadn't even imagined—a completely different interpretation that transformed the role. I encouraged Arturo to make Pepper 100% his own, which he did beautifully. All the improvisation, the language, the specific choices—that's Arturo filling out this character. What I particularly loved was how he manifested this maternal side, this beautiful struggle of not wanting to get attached to Cassie, fearing the repercussions, and then ultimately becoming the mother figure Cassie needs to fly—to become that beautiful mermaid. Arturo is a very instinctual actor who responds well to specific notes. Once he understands what I'm looking for, he fills every moment with his emotional landscape. We made sure Pepper was crafted through Arturo—from the wigs and makeup to the clothing, even the music. I asked him, "What would Pepper listen to?" Everything had to be authentic to who Pepper is and who Arturo is as this character. We were also incredibly fortunate to have Academy Award-winning writer and actor Nat Faxon play Bill, Cassie's dad. Nat brought such depth and complexity to this role. I think what really attracted him to this role—and what made his performance so authentic—is that he grew up in Gloucester, Massachusetts. He understood who Bill is to the core. He had a real sense of this person and could fill him with all of his beautiful emotion. He was very grounded in his performance, very present, and that deep understanding gave a beautiful framework to how he approached the role, which really elevated his performance and informed why Bill makes the decisions he makes. What I loved about working with Nat—and what we really discussed—was that Bill is not a stereotype. I didn't want to create a one-dimensional blue-collar guy who doesn't want to help his kid. Nat instinctually understood that Bill was in over his head, drowning in grief and denial, not equipped to understand or care for a trans child who's exploring their identity. Bill's not a villain—he's afraid, he's grieving the loss of his wife, and he simply doesn't have the bandwidth to be the present father Cassie needs. But he's trying to do what he thinks is right. He wants a connection with his child. Nat brought this beautiful, nuanced, multilayered performance to Bill's journey—from that place of fear and inadequacy to this incredible moment of transformation where he understands, accepts, and reaches out to Pepper and the community for help. He realizes he needs to find a new way forward for his child. As a director and writer, I'm very specific about what I want, but I also deeply respect actors. When you have great actors, you set the stage and let them play. You create a safe, beautiful environment where they can bring out who they are in these moments, then you get out of their way. That's where the brilliance happens. We were on a very tight schedule—sometimes only 1 to 3 takes per scene—so we did our prep work, but honestly? When you cast the right actors who love the material and you build that relationship, magic happens.

I want audiences to walk away with empathy and understanding—to see the human story behind the headlines. LGBTQ+ rights have become such a hot-button issue in this country, and what often gets lost in the political noise are the real families at the center of it all. Through my research, I've been brought to tears listening to parents of LGBTQ+ kids—parents who are conflicted, who face enormous challenges just to protect their children from bullying, who lie awake at night fearing whether their kids will make it home alive. I've found that intolerance plagues many areas of this country, especially rural parts of the US where ignorance is causing profound harm to these families and their children. And this isn't just a red versus blue issue—intolerance and fear stem from deeply personal beliefs that cross political lines. What struck me most is that it's often the fathers who struggle the most with these issues. These men need support. They need to see another father going through this experience, finding a positive way forward for their child. That's why I made Mermaid—for the fathers out there, for the parents, for communities to understand what their beliefs and actions are doing to these children who desperately need support, not persecution. I wanted to create a heartwarming film with sharp edges that captures a trans child's fight to be who they truly are—without being heavy-handed or overtly political. I wanted to show the isolation, the longing, the moment when someone finally sees you and gives you permission to exist as yourself. And I wanted to show a father's journey—his resistance, his fear, and ultimately, his love overcoming that fear. My hope is that audiences—especially parents who might be struggling with these questions—will see themselves in this story. That they'll recognize the beauty and courage in these children. That they'll understand the life-saving power of acceptance and community. If this film can open one parent's heart, if it can help one family find their way to love and support, if it can remind people that we're talking about children who simply want to live authentically and be loved—then I've done what I set out to do. At its core, Mermaid is about the transformative power of being truly seen and accepted for who you are. That's universal. That's what I want audiences to feel.