“I had a secret passion for the arts – it just wasn’t the cool thing growing up”: Chase Hudson on How to Lose a Popularity Contest

How to Lose a Popularity Contest is a high school love story with surprising heart and depth, reminiscent of romantic comedies such as How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days and 10 Things I Hate About You. It stars TikTok sensation-turned-musician Huddy – also known as Chase Hudson – alongside Sara Waisglass, and follows the slow-burn love-hate relationship between class clown Nate and overachiever Ellie. Ellie’s boyfriend recently broke up with her after she put him down during his bid for student body president. Nate, meanwhile, is dumped by his girlfriend for being too unserious and lacking clear goals. Despite their differences and clashing personalities, Nate and Ellie conspire to win back their exes, only to unexpectedly fall in love along the way.

The Upcoming caught up with Hudson in a virtual interview to discuss the themes of the feature. While How to Lose a Popularity Contest is a romcom, there is a strong focus on the individual arcs of Nate and Ellie – with Nate coming into his own and discovering his passion for drawing, and Ellie recognising her flaws and how they have driven people away. Hudson expanded on the parallels between himself and Nate, particularly regarding artistic expression, and reflected on his own high school experience playing sports while feeling unable to fully express his love for the arts. He also spoke about the cinematic inspirations behind his chemistry with Waisglass, the bonding moments they shared, and the importance of versatility and having multiple creative outlets in his artistic journey.