‘Uglies’ currently ranks as one of the most popular films on Netflix in Malta, but it has sparked controversy among fans of the original novel. At the heart of the debate is the casting of Joey King, star of The Kissing Booth, as the lead character, Tally.
The movie, based on the dystopian novel Uglies by Scott Westerfeld, revolves around a world where teenagers undergo mandatory plastic surgery at 16 to transform from “Ugly” to “Pretty.” As soon as the film hit Netflix, fans were divided on whether Joey King was the right fit for Tally. Some praised her performance, while others argued she was miscast. A common criticism was that Joey King is “too pretty” to play Tally. One tweet read: “Joey King is too pretty to play Tally,” and another remarked: “The ‘uglies’ are better looking than anyone I know in real life.”
In response to the criticism, author Scott Westerfeld and director McG have come forward to explain their decision. In an interview with Decider, Westerfeld dismissed the idea that Joey King’s appearance should be a sticking point. He stated, “There’s some textual evidence that Tally is actually quite pretty, and she only thinks she’s ugly. David even tells her, ‘You’re incredibly gorgeous.’”
Westerfeld added that the real issue lies in Tally’s perception of herself, reflecting how people, even in our world, often feel dissatisfied with their appearance despite being seen as beautiful. McG supported this view, telling TheWrap that casting King highlighted the film’s deeper message: “It’s never enough. Joey King is beautiful, but that’s not the point. There’s always something to nitpick.” He emphasized how even those perceived as beautiful struggle with body image issues, saying, “Some of the most universally regarded beautiful people in the world have the most intense body dysmorphia.”
The director concluded, “This movie is meant to be the antidote to that toxic mindset.”
Interestingly, it was Joey King herself who pitched the idea of adapting Uglies to Netflix when she was just 17. Her passion for the project helped bring it to life, despite the ongoing debate about her role.
