IN CONVERSATION WITH OLIVIA TAYLOR DUDLEY

interview by JANA LETONJA

Actress and producer Olivia Taylor Dudley returns to the big screen with Touch Me, the bold psychosexual horror-comedy directed by Addison Heimann, arriving in theatres on 20th March. Following acclaimed premieres at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival and SXSW, the film quickly generated critical praise and strong word-of-mouth for its vibrant, absurdist take on co-dependent friendships, desire, and the lengths we go to for happiness. Olivia not only produces the project but also leads the film, delivering one of her most daring performances to date. She is widely recognised for her starring role as Alice in Syfy’s cult-favorite series The Magicians, which ran for five acclaimed seasons, as well as appearances in Curb Your Enthusiasm, Arrested Development, and It’s Florida, Man.

Touch Me premiered to strong reactions at Sundance and SXSW. What was it like experiencing the film with those audiences for the first time?

Oh, it was wonderful. I was so nervous going into Sundance. I wasn’t sure how the audience would react, but luckily, they ate it up. I knew when I read the script that we had something special, and again, as we filmed the film, I knew that we had something so unique. Getting to experience that with an audience and for them to react to it so positively was a dream. There’s so much pressure at these big festivals when you premiere, but once I heard the audience laugh for the first time, I knew we were going to be okay.

What initially drew you to the project?

When the project was brought to me by one of the producers, a friend of mine, he presented it as, “Hey, I have a weird alien film that I think you’ll be into. Will you read it?” When I read it, I thought it was just going to be some silly sci-fi film, but it’s really not. It deals with very dark and real subjects. It’s a film about mental health, trauma, and dealing with addiction. It’s really a human story, not an alien story. But Addison, the writer and director, did an incredible job of weaving all those topics into a delicious visual delight. My character Joey has obsessive compulsive disorder, and so do I in real life. Getting to represent something like that in a film was really important to me. Also, the film is funny as hell.

The film explores co-dependent friendships in a bold and provocative way. What resonated with you most about that theme?

The codependent relationship between the characters was also something that really drew me into the project. I know I can personally relate to codependent friendships or relationships in my life. They can be all-consuming and toxic and wonderful and scary, and I think a lot of people will relate to this film. Obviously not the toxic relationship with an alien, but that’s just part of the fun.

How did you prepare for such an emotionally and physically daring role?

I actually didn’t have a lot of preparation time for this one. I got the film a month before we started shooting, and I was filming another film at the time. I only had five days in between the two films to prep for ‘Touch Me’. The most difficult part was memorising the opening monologue, which is about nine minutes long. Addison, the director, told me that he wanted to shoot it all in one take, uncut, so I had to be able to deliver nine minutes of dialogue without breaking. This was especially difficult for me because I’m dyslexic and memorisation takes a really long time. Somehow, I pulled it off, and it ended up being the first thing that we filmed on day one. And it’s the first take that I did that’s in the film. As far as physical preparation, there wasn’t much I could do. I just had to be ready for tentacles and blood to be thrown at me. 

What conversations do you hope the film sparks about relationships and personal boundaries?

I think Touch Me deals with codependent friendships and relationships in a really truthful way. Sometimes you don’t know you’re in it until you’re in too deep. All of the characters in this film have such toxic relationships with each other, and I think a lot of audience members will unfortunately relate to that. Hopefully, the takeaway is to be mindful of codependency and to have healthy boundaries. Especially with an alien.

Were you involved at all in shaping the creative direction of your character?

Yes. Addison was so collaborative with all of the actors and artists involved. From the moment we first met, we talked about how we both saw the character. He let me give notes on the dialogue, and I put my own personal touch on Joey. I was heavily involved in the conversation about any of the intimate scenes as well, which put my mind at ease and made me feel safe and heard. I also came on as an executive producer and was heavily involved in the post production of the film. I was in the edit room with Addison and our wonderful editor, Jess, every day. My favorite thing about my job is getting to collaborate and make something that we’re all proud of.

Many fans know you as Alice from The Magicians. How has that role shaped your career and connection with audiences?

Alice Quinn will always be my favourite character that I’ve played. Getting to live with a character for six years is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Fans of ‘The Magicians’ are the best fans. I feel so lucky that I get to connect with them and share myself with them. I feel like it’s given me a deep connection with an audience that I have been able to take with me to other projects. That show opened up so many doors for me, and I’m forever grateful for it.

Do you feel drawn to darker, genre-bending material?

I absolutely love doing comedy, but yes, I’m definitely drawn to darker genre-bending material. I just think that horror and sci-fi are such great vehicles for any kind of underlying story that you want to tell. You can have very real human experiences wrapped up in a very entertaining package. I personally love watching darker films, so of course, I’m drawn to wanting to make them. I’m so happy that horror has become so mainstream and it’s finally getting the recognition it deserves.

How do you balance vulnerability and fearlessness in such intimate material?

That’s a hard question to answer, because I’m not sure how I do it. I’ve always been someone who’s very in touch with my feelings and emotions, which is probably why I became an actor. It’s always there under the surface, bubbling, waiting to come out. I love having challenging material like this because once I’m on the other side of it, I’m a changed person. I feel so lucky I get to do this for a living.

As the film heads into theatrical release, what feels different about this chapter of your career?

My career always feels ever-evolving, and this feels like such an exciting time. ‘Touch Me’ in particular is a film that I think will reach a new audience and excite them. I’m really proud of my work in this film and of the film’s message. For as wild, fun and weird as this film is, I hope that it touches people as it did me.

TEAM CREDITS

talent OLIVIA TAYLOR DUDLEY
photography ELIE SMOLKIN
editorial director and interview JANA LETONJA
editor TIMI LETONJA