Camila Mendes on her new rom-com ‘Upgraded’ and her admiration for Priyanka Chopra

Camila Mendes, the star of the popular TV series ‘Riverdale’, has recently made her mark in the Hollywood film industry with her latest romantic comedy ‘Upgraded’. The film, which was released on Amazon Prime Video on February 9, 2024, features Mendes as Ana, an ambitious intern who gets a chance to live a glamorous life after she is upgraded to first class on a work trip and meets a handsome stranger, played by Archie Renaux. The film also stars Marisa Tomei, Lena Olin, Anthony Head, and Thomas Kretschmann, among others.

Camila Mendes Working with Carlson Young

In an exclusive interview , Camila Mendes opened up about her experience of working with the director and actress Carlson Young, who is known for her roles in Disney’s ‘As the Bell Rings’, Comedy Central’s ‘Key & Peele’, and the MTV series ‘Scream’. Young also directed the fantasy horror film ‘The Blazing World’, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in 2023.

Camila Mendes praised Young for being an actor’s director who knows how to communicate and collaborate with the cast. She said, “I love Carlson so much. I think she is brilliant, she is very smart, she is very funny and working with an actor is really great because she is very clearly an actor’s director.” Mendes added that Young “knows how to speak to actors and it’s just very collaborative.” Mendes also shared that Young “understands how we think” and “values performance.” She further explained, “Sometimes you get directors who think more about the cinematography… or they’re paying attention to other things and don’t really pay much attention to acting or don’t invest much time and effort into giving notes on that but Carlson cared a lot and it was really nice to have somebody to talk through those things.”

Dreaming of a Priyanka Chopra collaboration

Camila Mendes also revealed that she is a fan of Priyanka Chopra, the Indian actress and producer who won the Miss World 2000 pageant and has since become one of the most influential and successful stars in the world. Chopra has received numerous awards, including a National Film Award, five Filmfare Awards, and a Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian award in India. She has also appeared in Hollywood films such as ‘Baywatch’, ‘Isn’t It Romantic’, ‘The White Tiger’, and ‘The Matrix Resurrections’, and starred in the action thriller series ‘Citadel’.

Mendes expressed her admiration for Chopra and said that she would love to work with her someday. She said, “I think she is brilliant. I just feel like she’d be a great co-star.” Mendes also mentioned that she enjoyed watching Chopra’s performance in ‘The White Tiger’, the Netflix film based on the Booker Prize-winning novel by Aravind Adiga.

About ‘Upgraded’

‘Upgraded’ is a 2024 American romantic comedy film produced by Gulfstream Pictures and distributed by Amazon Prime Video. The film follows the story of Ana, who lies about her identity to impress Will, a wealthy and charming businessman who falls for her. However, her fib soon threatens to ruin her chances of happiness and success. The film is a modern-day Cinderella story with a twist, as Ana discovers her true self and her true love.

The film has received positive reviews from critics and audiences, who praised the chemistry between Mendes and Renaux, the witty and heartwarming script, and the direction by Young. The film has also been compared to other classic rom-coms such as ‘Pretty Woman’, ‘The Proposal’, and ‘The Devil Wears Prada’. The film has a rating of 74% on Rotten Tomatoes and a score of 59 out of 100 on Metacritic.

‘Upgraded’ is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video

Upgraded Trailer