Olivia Holt’s Stellar Debut in Slasher Romcom “Heart Eyes” Wins Praise

by Annika February 4, 2025

American actress and singer Olivia Holt has made a successful debut as the lead on the call sheet of a major studio film, Heart Eyes. The film, a slasher romcom, is one of the most positively reviewed of the young year. Her role is a natural progression from her recent attention-grabbing performance in Nahnatchka Khan’s time-travel slasher comedy, Totally Killer. Holt completely embraced the role, bypassing the traditional cast chemistry test and immediately heading to the New Zealand set.

Olivia Holt’s Stellar Debut in Slasher Romcom “Heart Eyes” Wins Praise

– Olivia Holt’s debut leading role in director Josh Ruben’s slasher romantic comedy, Heart Eyes, has received positive reviews, building on her recent successful appearance in Totally Killer (2023).
– In Heart Eyes, Holt and co-star Mason Gooding play two advertising professionals who become the targets of a serial killer; the pair were sent directly to the film’s New Zealand set on the recommendation of producer Greg Gilreath and the filmmaking collective, Radio Silence.
– Holt discussed her audition process, her interest in balancing acting and music, and some behind-the-scenes stories from the film, including enjoying the camaraderie of the cast and crew despite the horror film’s challenging shooting conditions.

Olivia Holt’s debut as the lead actress in a major film is being met with rave reviews. The multi-talented actress isn’t new to the spotlight, having recently impressed audiences with her performance in Nahnatchka Khan’s time-travel slasher comedy, Totally Killer. Now, in Josh Ruben’s slasher romcom Heart Eyes, Holt steps into the starring role, and the response has been highly positive.

Holt stars alongside Mason Gooding in Heart Eyes, where they play advertising professionals targeted by a serial killer. According to Holt, Gooding went above and beyond to bond with her on set, even wearing a tank top that declared him “Olivia Holt’s #1 fan” and her oversized stunt shorts.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Holt discusses her experiences in filming Heart Eyes, as well as the challenges she’s faced balancing her commitments to her blossoming acting and music career. She also reveals the enjoyable on-set atmosphere despite the gruesome subject matter, and her inability to correctly guess who the Heart Eyes Killer was in the script.

Still, despite her character’s horrific experiences in Heart Eyes, Holt plans to keep using the heart eyes emoji in her messages. While she admits the emoji could lead to some confusion, Holt has no plans to part with it.

When discussing her audition for Heart Eyes, Holt shares that her interest peaked after speaking to the film’s director, Josh Ruben. She developed a deep respect and fascination for Ruben’s vision for the film and her character, Ally.

Holt also elaborated on her enjoyment of the film’s humour. Even in potentially awkward scenes – such as throwing an intimate object at the Heart Eyes Killer or a heartfelt conversation amid distracting background noise – Holt found humor and camaraderie with her co-stars.

Lastly, in discussing her work as a singer and an actress, Holt expresses her admiration for her generation’s willingness to try multiple different career paths. She states her belief that people should not be confined to one lane and instead venture into various avenues. Holt also expresses her gratitude for having the opportunity to be a part of the music side of a project, in reference to her cover of The Smashing Pumpkin’s “Today” for Cruel Summer.