Charli xcx Says Original ‘Brat’ Movie Pitch Was Too Label-Focused and Calls Ariana Grande’s Oscar Snub a ‘Surprise’: ‘She Is Amazing and Goes Full Force’

At the Sundance Film Festival, pop innovator Charli Xcx is generating significant buzz ahead of the world premiere of her new film, "The Moment." The project is a concert mockumentary that follows a fictionalized version of the artist as she embarks on a major tour for her critically acclaimed "Brat" album. Charli Xcx, whose 2014 hit "Boom Clap" catapulted her to mainstream fame, has since become known for her avant-garde approach to pop music.

In an interview at the Variety Studio presented by Audible, Charli revealed the unconventional origins of the film, stating she turned down her record label's initial proposal. "My label approached me about creating a standard tour documentary for the 'Brat' shows, which felt like a tactic to commercially extend the album's lifecycle," she explained. "I had zero interest in that. My only goal was to subvert a traditional format." She elaborated that the satirical film became a vehicle to critique the music industry, her own persona, and broader themes of pop culture, fame, and how artistic intent can be diluted upon release. This creative pivot, she noted, provided fertile ground for more complex and interesting ideas.

The film features an ensemble cast including Rosanna Arquette, Kate Berlant, and Alexander Skarsgård. Some, like Rachel Sennott, portray exaggerated versions of themselves, while others, such as Berlant playing Charli's makeup artist, embody fictionalized members of the star's real-life team. The director is Aidan Zamiri, a key creative collaborator during the "Brat" era who also directed the viral "360" music video. In a separate interview, Zamiri reflected on the project's context, noting, "It's fascinating that 'Brat,' which Charli felt was her most authentic work, became her biggest commercial success. Watching something so personal become a global phenomenon and a branding tool for other companies provided a rich irony to explore."

During her Sundance conversation with Variety's Matt Donnelly, the topic shifted to the recent Oscar nominations. Charli, a well-known cinephile whose Letterboxd reviews frequently trend on social media, admitted she was unaware of the nominees. She expressed surprise that her collaborator Ariana Grande was not nominated for Best Supporting Actress for "Wicked." The two artists recently worked together on the remix for "Sympathy Is a Knife." "Ariana is amazing and commits fully to her roles," Charli remarked. "While I haven't seen the list, her omission is certainly unexpected." This intersection of music and film highlights the increasingly blurred lines between entertainment mediums, a theme central to Charli's own career trajectory.

Following its debut at Sundance, "The Moment" is scheduled for a theatrical release on January 30. The film's arrival continues a notable trend of musicians using meta-narratives and satire to examine their own fame, following projects like Lil Nas X's "Long Live Montero" and Taylor Swift's "Miss Americana."