In Megan Park’s My Old Ass, the performances and passion of the cast are clear, especially from queer lead Maisy Stella, who plays the younger version of the same character played by Aubrey Plaza.
Stella broke into the industry alongside her sister Lennon Stella on the musical drama Nashville. You may also know her and her sister from their musical duo Lennon & Maisy, most known for their viral cover of Robyn’s “Call Your Girlfriend.” In addition to My Old Ass, she is set to star in the film Flowervale Street, scheduled for a May 2025 release and also starring Anne Hathaway and Ewan McGregor.
I sat down with the Stella for a brief interview to get her perspective on the film’s queerness, nostalgia, and her own personal reflections on being a part of its making.
Obviously in this movie — and in general — queerness is a multi-faceted beast. The bisexual coming-of-age/coming out movie…I’m not even sure I could name another movie that fits into that category. I was curious how you feel queerness impacts this film and impacts Elliott’s character?
That was such a safe and healthy part of the script for me. I was very put at ease over the queerness of it and how open Megan [Park] was with all of it. I also really loved that it wasn’t at the forefront of Elliott’s character. There’s been so many times where I’ve been searching for a queer movie to watch but I don’t enjoy it as much because that’s all there is to the movie. And sometimes I am in the mood to watch that, but sometimes I want to watch a movie where it’s just real people living. I felt like with Elliott it was nice because it wasn’t all that she was. She had a lot more going on, and this was just a part of her, and I related to that and it felt right to me. I’d never seen anything like it in terms of being reversed and it being so internal of her starting so sure and confident of who she is. She’s accepted by everyone in her life, and set on a label, and then opens up a little bit. Megan was smart about it, wanted it to feel honest and grounded and real.
Something I found interesting to was, as you say it, “in reverse.” Elliott being so sure of her sexuality as a lesbian, and then having that be rocked. How do you think playing that kind of character was impactful for your personal journey, or what of your personal journey did you bring into the character’s exploration?
I felt that I’d grown up in a very different way, where I was never pressured into using a label. Which is not everyone’s experience. I was very lucky in that sense — I’m from Canada, I’m from a liberal family, I literally didn’t know being gay was a thing people weren’t cool with! I didn’t know that until I moved to Tennessee and was rudely awakened. It didn’t come until later that I dealt with that stress and confusion. My favorite thing to watch in movies is genuine self-exploration and confusion. I find it satisfying to watch because it’s relatable. So I felt proud to play someone who is just being honest with themselves, and I related to Elliott in a lot of ways.
I read in Variety that you manifested working with Megan, so how was it getting to finally do that, and getting it to be this specific movie alongside Aubrey Plaza who is a powerhouse in this industry already?
I had auditioned for The Fallout, and Megan knew that, so I knew I needed to work with her. So my manifestation was genuinely from being so moved and inspired by her. I was already filming for two weeks before Aubrey was attached — Aubrey was the most beautiful surprise after I was already filming. I didn’t know she was in it — if I could’ve picked my older self, I would’ve picked Aubrey. So that was the most surreal thing ever. But for the majority it was Megan and the script. The script was so undeniably special, and anyone who read it was immediately supportive of it and wanted it to work.
What do you think people will take away from this movie?
I feel like the concept of the movie is a universally moving concept. Anyone in a tender place watching this movie, it will hit. I have always been a clinically nostalgic person, so this movie softened me. I am always trying to channel my inner child. My sister has a tattoo that says “be the child you were,” and I think Megan gave the cast the advice of “this experience is going to go by so fast, so try to enjoy it and take it all in.” So I made the effort to do that, so I would probably tell my younger self to start living actively sooner. The filming of the movie woke me up in that way, and made me feel more grateful and present.
Have you had conversations already with people on the impact of this story’s approach to queerness or nostalgia? What do you think is the significance of this specific spin on a queer coming of age?
I still don’t know where this came from in Megan; I think she knew someone who had a similar experience. Since then, we’ve known a lot of people with similar experiences. I think this entire movie is human and honest. There’s nothing about it that feels forced, and this side of it — there were a lot of queer people in the cast that had all talked about it and wanted to make sure it never came across as someone who only likes women and then sees a Calvin Klein model and changes her mind. That never was what it was. My part in it wanted it to feel true, like a real girl who has only been interested in women, and then meets someone who she falls in love with as a human. I think she would’ve fallen in love with Chad had he been a woman. The response has been lovely. It’s been exciting to see people’s reactions and responses.
