“The movie’s whole goal is to provide trans kids a source of joy, a source of light and a source of safety”: Siobhan McCarthy and Nico Carney on She’s the He

In a similar style to Heartstopper, with charming antics of She’s the Man, She’s the He is a beautifully flamboyant film that celebrates trans identity. It explores gender in a coming-of-age fashion, focusing on the intricacies of friendship within the high school setting. It follows two friends, Ethan and Alex, whose desperation for female attention results in them pretending to be trans to get into the girls’ locker room. Things take a disastrous turn when Ethan begins to realise that “he” may be a “she”; that she might be trans as well – finding beauty and comfort in the clothes she wears and the make-up the other girls put on her to keep up the façade. As Alex’s deception continues to spiral out of control, Ethan gets caught in the middle, struggling through this discovery alongside a strenuous relationship with her mother and a romantic tryst with Forest.

Written by Siobhan McCarthy, She’s the He stars a wonderful crop of new talent whose charisma and incredible chemistry take McCarthy’s script to new and unmistakably fantastic heights. Misha Osherovich is alluring as Ethan. She captures perfectly the timid hesitance of the character. But there’s a subtle confidence in her performance that blooms as Ethan discovers more of herself. There’s a gradual breaking down of her walls, and she is well-supported by an amazing cast, including Carney’s frustratingly lovable take on Alex, Malia Pyles as the fierce Sasha, and Tatiana Ringsby’s standout role as Forest.

The Upcoming caught up with McCarthy and Carney to discuss the process of casting, cultivating the incredible dynamic between the many different characters, and important discussions regarding parents and allyship within the LGBTQ+ community.

Mae Trumata

She’s the He does not have a release date yet.

Read more reviews from our London Film Festival coverage here.

For further information about the event visit the London Film Festival website here.

Watch the trailer for She’s the He here: