From The Craft: Legacy to Dear Evan Hansen, Zoey Luna is cementing her name as an actor on the rise. She next appears on our screens as Julian in Hauntology, a horror anthology directed by Parker Brennon which follows two sisters telling stories linked to the town they grew up in and a deadly curse that has plagued their ancestors as well as themselves.
As the film premieres at FrightFest 2024 and comes to US streaming platforms, Luna spoke to FILMHOUNDS about her trans identity informing her character, her love for the horror genre, and her next projects.
How did you get involved with Hauntology and your role as Julian?
Rob [Jonasky], our producer, reached out to me and was like, “Hey, we got this project, and this is the character. Are you interested?” I was like, “Yeah, absolutely.” And that's how I became a part of it.
Julian undergoes a transformation in the story, becoming their true self. As a trans actor, what was it like telling that story, especially given the challenges LGBTQ+ stories sometimes face?
It was really interesting because I transitioned when I was 10, so when I approached the story and the character, I didn't draw much from my experience transitioning back then. But I was able to draw on this very personal experience that I had with my ex-fiance, It is so weird how the universe is always divinely timed. A year before I did the role, I was going through a transformation physically because I was dealing with some health issues – like mobility and my weight was just causing me to not be able to function as a human. So I decided to start taking that into my own hands, and I started losing weight. At the same time, I started doing a lot of therapy and recovering mentally and physically from a lot of psychological abuse that I went through. I went through this huge weight loss transformation and broke up with my ex-fiance. I think a part of me always thought that when I did recover and was able to get control of myself, maybe he would come back around. With Julian, she transitions into this beautiful human which is amazing to say that that's me. She is met with one of her other dreams, and she has to realize that that dream is unhealthy for her and will be at the cost of her life. We had a very similar transformation and I think that I had to experience my own physical transformation to relate to her.
In the scene where I'm acknowledging myself after the transformation worked and I'm looking at myself as this beautiful girl, I thought about all of the trans kids who wish that they could look at themselves and see who they are reflected in the mirror. So it was a really nice homecoming to accept that I had made so much progress in my own life beyond being trans to now being just a human that goes through different transformations and doesn't have to have that be the centre focus of my life.
In your story, you act alongside American Horror Story's Naomi Grossman. What was that like?
She was so funny and she always kept it so real. I grew up watching her, and one episode of (American Horror Story) Freak Show stuck with me where her backstory. That episode made me feel so many things as a child, and I just felt so much empathy for her, and so getting to work with her was a dream come true. I was so grateful that I was able to tell her she really inspired me.
Aside from your segment, which was your favourite story in Hauntology?
I really have to give it to the sisters. The narration, and their dynamic. They're just so talented, and they keep the story cohesive and grounded. They were a true highlight for me to be honest.
You've appeared in other horror films like Slay and The Craft: Legacy. What draws you to the horror genre?
They enjoy me, and I enjoy them right back. Growing up, I always wanted to be the blonde girl running and screaming, trying to survive, and I think that that's because that's what I was secretly going through the entire time I was a child. I'm getting to do that in my upcoming movie Slay – I get to run around screaming for my life, half-naked and blonde, and that's gonna be really exciting. Horror is the ultimate Trojan horse because it's comforting in a weird way. And I think the reason why it's comforting is because a lot of us are going through so much internal fear and panic because this world is a very unforgiving and cruel place. Horror can convey so many messages about what we're going through.
What's next for you after Hauntology?
Well, Slay is in post-production, and I'm excited about that. It's so crazy because I can never keep track of what I want to do, so it's whatever I want to do in the next moment. I think right now, I mean, that's just maybe a makeup brand. But I'll always be making movies.
Hauntology had its international premiere at FrightFest 2024 on Friday, August 23. It is available to stream in the US from September 15.
