Camila Mendes Binge-Watched Reality TV to Master 'Idiotka' Role

Speaking at the film's New York City premiere, Mendes shared that she watched multiple competition series to better understand the dynamics behind the scenes.

"One of my go-tos was Project Runway," she said, adding that HBO's streetwear competition show The Hype was a major reference point. "The one that we kept referencing for this was The Hype. I watched that one quite a bit, because tonally, it felt like this is more DIY reality."

"We're the cutting edge of reality TV. Like, we're trying to do things differently, and that also felt very in line with Nicol's character. We're not those cut and dry fashion shows - we're doing it differently," she added, according to People.

In 'Idiotka,' directed by Nastasya Popov in her feature debut, Mendes plays Nicol Garcia, a producer navigating the competitive world of fashion reality television.

The film also stars Anna Baryshnikov as Margarita, a struggling fashion designer, alongside Julia Fox and Benito Skinner as fictional judges on the show within the film, according to People.

Mendes said she also spoke with former participants of the fashion competition series, many of whom described intense experiences with producers.

"Many of them mentioned crazy experiences where producers would be their best friend, before eventually becoming kind of manipulative," she said. "That was a very helpful perspective to have."

The actress explained that she approached her character's manipulative streak from a place of sincerity. "I was grounding her manipulation in a place that felt honest and well-intentioned. Ultimately, Nicol is really trying to uplift Margarita and give her the platform to succeed," Mendes noted, according to People.

She also shared that working alongside friends made the project even more special. "I adore Benito, and I've been wanting to do something with him for so long. I was so happy that he joined the project," she said, according to People.

Recalling one of her favourite on-set moments, Mendes pointed to an improvised scene by Fox. "It's an iconic moment, and it makes me burst out laughing every time," she teased, according to People.

'Idiotka' is set to hit theatres on February 27.

- ANI