The cast of the Apple TV movie Outcome sits down with Lifestyle Asia to talk about how the movie tackles cancel culture and celebrity culture.
With a director and writer like Jonah Hill, a lead actor like Keanu Reeves, and a cast that includes Cameron Diaz and Matt Bomer, the Apple TV movie Outcome is set to be one heck of a ride. The film follows Reef Hawk, played by Reeves, who, after doing some serious work on himself, is threatened by someone who claims to have a video that could cause irreparable damage to his reputation. Hawk then goes on an “apology tour” of sorts to figure out who the someone could be.
The film, which premiered today on the streaming platform, and Lifestyle Asia got to sit in a press conference where Reeves, Diaz, and Bomer talked about Outcome.
[Hero and feature image: Apple TV]
The cast of Outcome talks about what it was like to film the upcoming comedy
The film explores themes of redemption and accountability. In today’s social media era, where people can be “called out” instantly, do you think this is a positive thing or has it gone too far?
Keanu Reeves: That’s got a big supposition.
Matt Bomer: [Laughs]
Cameron Diaz: Are we talking about cancel culture?
KR: Yeah, I mean, there should be accountability, but also some kind of due process. The film kind of plays as a… what are we calling it?
CD: Cautionary tale
MB: Cautionary comedy.
KR: Cautionary comedy! It shows both sides. As much as people can be seen now, they can also hide. It’s complicated.
MB: And honestly, real accountability comes from people close to you; friends who can call you out and forgive you. Strangers online don’t know the full story. The people who love you? They reflect you back to yourself in a way no one else can.
When you read the script, what themes resonated with you, especially in relation to your own experiences in Hollywood?
KR: I mean… Jonah’s drawing from something real, but it’s also… what do we call it? “Factional”? “Fiction-Fact”? I don’t know.
CD: It’s a mix of things. The people involved, the director, the chance to explore something interesting. With this group and with Jonah, it was just like, yeah, I want to be part of whatever this turns into.
What was it like working with Jonah Hill? And how hard was it to keep a straight face when he was in character as Ira?
KR: Jonah is a tour de force. Ira is a tour de force. I really enjoyed the experience. I think he’s great.
MB: I’ve never laughed harder on a set. His directing style is really free and kind of unpredictable. You don’t always know what the day’s going to be.But that’s what makes it exciting. Getting to play with these actors under his direction, it felt like a dream.
The film deals with fame, scandal, and public perception. How does that resonate with your own experiences?
CD: It goes back to that “cautionary comedy” idea. It’s not necessarily our personal stories. It’s more like, this is what can happen when you’re constantly being watched. We live in a culture where everyone wants attention all the time. Fame is something people aspire to. But this film shows what happens when you don’t choose that; it’s forced on you. And how little space there is to just be human. It’s kind of a “be careful what you wish for” story. These days, anyone can feel famous in their own world. It’s all relative.
Do you think redemption comes from within, or is it something society grants?
KR: I think both. Yeah, he earns some of it externally, through friendships, people forgiving him. But there’s also something internal. He finds a kind of grounding.
Is it important for films to reflect topics like cancel culture today?
KR: I think stories always reflect the times, whether directly or not. It’s cool when they engage with culture and who we are right now. But it doesn’t have to be literal. It can come at it from different angles.
After long careers in the spotlight, how do you stay grounded?
MB: Teenagers. Nothing will regulate you like teenagers. They’ll keep you in check.
How did the film balance comedy and serious themes?
KR: It’s in the script. It goes big and comedic, but also stays really honest emotionally.
CD: Comedy and drama aren’t separate; they kind of touch. You can’t tell the story with just one emotion. You have to have the sort of roller coaster of our existential experience, you know, of like ups and downs, laughing, crying—it’s all the same. The film shows what something looks like from the outside versus what it feels like on the inside. Especially with celebrity, people watch from a distance, but the person going through it is having a very real human experience.
Keanu, what was it like working with Martin Scorsese?
KR: Wild. Like… in my wildest dreams, acting with him? What? And he’s so good. There’s kind of a father-son thing going on there since he’s playing a character that really supported me in my youth. So yeah, just to sit in those moments with him was very special. He’s amazing.
What did it feel like when filming wrapped?
KR: Some days were just pure fun, especially when we got to play and improvise. Reef’s kind of a weirdo, so some days were… different. But overall, it was such a special experience. When it wrapped, it was like, “Wow, we did it.”
CD: We’ll always have Outcome. We were best friends, y’all!
Keanu, what’s the biggest lesson Reef learns?
KR: I don’t know… watch the movie! [Laughs] Probably honesty—with yourself, with your
For Cameron and Keanu, what was it like reuniting after nearly 30 years?
CD: I was just grateful. Last time we worked together, it was like my fourth film, I was very green. Kind of embarrassing. He’s always been the same though, just a lovely human. And this time around, it was just joy. We laughed a lot. We got to do the drama and trauma.
KR: Drama and trauma!
MB: [Laughs]
CD: The D and T, baby. Yeah, and then bring in some comedy to balance it out. It was really fun.
Outcome is now streaming on Apple TV
This story first appeared here.
Note : The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
