Slanted: Shirley Chen and McKenna Grace Play the Same Character in This Disturbing Horror Story

Slanted is an upcoming horror film directed by Amy Wang that blends high school drama with unsettling body horror. The movie stars Shirley Chen and McKenna Grace, and both actresses […]
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Body horror plus racism commentary? Count me in. The trailer already gave me chills when Joan ignores her mom’s Chinese and switches to English. That small moment hurts more than any jump scare. Turning yourself into someone else to win a stupid crown is messed up, but I know girls who would consider it if it was real. The switch from Shirley to McKenna is bold casting. It makes the loss of identity feel physical. This isn’t just another monster movie—it’s about what society does to us inside.

I didn’t have that kind of identity crisis growing up. I never really felt the pressure to look white or change myself to fit in. Where I’m from, Korean dramas were everywhere on TV—every afternoon, every weekend. All the main characters were beautiful Korean women with clear skin, long hair, and that soft look everyone loved. They were the stars, the ones getting the happy endings and all the attention. So for me, being Asian wasn’t something to hide or fix. It felt normal and even desirable because of those shows. I wanted to be like the actresses in K-dramas, not like the prom queens in American movies. That probably protected me from a lot of the insecurity Joan feels in Slanted. The film still looks powerful though—makes me think how different things could be depending on what media you grow up watching.

This movie looks really heavy. I grew up in a mostly white town and always felt like I had to change how I talked or looked just to get noticed. Seeing Shirley Chen start as Joan and then McKenna Grace become the “perfect” version hits hard. It’s smart they used two actresses to show the full change instead of just makeup. The part about the mom speaking Chinese and Joan answering in English is exactly what happens in my family too. I hope the horror doesn’t just scare but actually makes people think about why we chase these beauty rules. I’m definitely watching this when it comes out. 148 words.

Body horror plus racism commentary? Count me in. The trailer already gave me chills when Joan ignores her mom’s Chinese and switches to English. That small moment hurts more than any jump scare. Turning yourself into someone else to win a stupid crown is messed up, but I know girls who would consider it if it was real. The switch from Shirley to McKenna is bold casting. It makes the loss of identity feel physical. This isn’t just another monster movie—it’s about what society does to us inside.

I like how Slanted doesn’t pretend the problem is only “racism from others.” Joan wants the crown so bad she chooses to erase herself. That makes it scarier. She’s not forced—she decides. The prom queen history showing only white or white-passing girls is accurate for many schools. I went to one like that. The horror comes from her own choice and what she loses. Two actresses playing one person is a strong way to show it. Hope the ending doesn’t go soft.

This sounds like The Substance but actually deeper. Instead of just aging or beauty aging, it’s about race and assimilation. Joan becoming Jo Hunt is brutal because it’s what a lot of immigrant kids feel pushed toward. The mother-daughter scene in the trailer already broke my heart a little. Shirley Chen looks perfect for the insecure Joan, and McKenna Grace will probably nail the empty “perfect” version. Amy Wang picked a tough topic and made it horror.

Nah, this trailer got me. The way Joan stares at old prom queen photos and sees no one like her—that’s real pain. Then she picks a surgery to fix it? That’s dark. I’m mixed race and I’ve felt that “not enough” feeling too many times. Using two different actresses to show before and after is genius. It’s not subtle. The film is yelling: look what you have to give up to “fit.” I’m here for it. Horror that makes you uncomfortable is the best kind.

This film scares me because it’s not fantasy—it’s what some girls already do quietly. Bleaching skin, surgery, filters to look “more American.” Joan going all the way with Ethnos just makes it visible and horrifying. The prom queen thing is perfect because everyone knows it’s about who the school sees as beautiful. Shirley Chen as the original Joan feels so real, like she’s carrying all that weight. Then McKenna Grace steps in and it’s like Joan died inside. I hope the movie shows how empty winning feels after that. Powerful stuff.