Why Pia Brewer From Clickbait Looks So Familiar
There's a chilling new thriller series burning up the charts on Netflix. It's called "Clickbait," and it's a murder mystery with a distinctly modern twist cut from the techno-phobic cloth of "Black Mirror." Told over eight episodes — each depicting different points of view from primary characters — "Clickbait" follows a family's desperate search for the truth when the seemingly normal father Nick (Adrian Grenier) is kidnapped and subjected to unfathomable treatment online for heinous crimes he may or may not have committed.
While "Entourage" fans will no doubt be excited to see Grenier once again appearing in a hit series, they'll almost certainly recognize the faces of a few of his co-stars as well. That's particularly true of the actor who portrays Nick's sister Pia in "Clickbait." It belongs to the great Zoe Kazan, who's been a mainstay on the indie film scene for a couple of decades now. Here's why Pia Brewer from "Clickbait" looks so familiar.
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs saw Zoe Kazan living out an Old West nightmare
You may not know it, but Zoe Kazan is a bit of a Hollywood legacy. Her parents, Robin Swicord ("When They See Us") and Nicholas Kazan ("Reversal of Fortune") are both successful screenwriters, and her grandfather was, in fact, legendary (if controversial, via The Guardian) director Elia Kazan ("On the Waterfront"). Even still, Kazan has made quite a name of her own in Tinseltown as both an actor and a screenwriter. So esteemed has Zoe Kazan become over the years, she was even tabbed by Joel and Ethan Coen for a key role in their lauded 2018 Western anthology film "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs."
That film depicted six separate short stories of the untamed West, each packed with enough comedy, drama, and action to fill a feature. Kazan starred in the fifth chapter of the anthology. Titled "The Gal Who Got Rattled," said chapter found Kazan playing an engaged woman cutting a path to Oregon with her would-be husband when he unexpectedly kicks the bucket. Rather than turn back, she forges ahead, making a deep connection with one of the trail drivers until, well, she gets rattled and a distinctly Coen-esque twist of fate ends the entire endeavor. "The Gal Who Got Rattled" is arguably the best short in "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs," with Kazan anchoring the story via an endlessly endearing performance that adds an extra level of heartbreak to the tragic tale.
Kazan and Kumail Nanjiani made modern rom-com magic in The Big Sick
Though Zoe Kazan is well regarded for her dramatic work, she's displayed a genuine knack for finding crackling, character-driven comedies over the years... especially those boasting big laughs and big heart in equal measure. And the actor's penchant for such excelling in such fare has probably never been more on display than in 2017's Oscar-nominated rom-com "The Big Sick."
Penned by "Silicon Valley" breakout (and soon-to-be MCU heavy) Kumail Nanjiani with his wife Emily V. Gordon, "The Big Sick" pulls back the curtain on the extraordinary real-life circumstances that led to their own enduring romance. Nanjiani appears as himself in "The Big Sick," with Kazan stepping in to portray Gordon. If you've seen "The Big Sick," you know their courtship was hardly a traditional one, with the pair meet-cuting and promptly falling in love, only to break up when Nanjiani can't reconcile his feelings for an American woman with his Pakistani heritage.
The pair are thrown unexpectedly back together when Emily falls gravely ill, and Nanjiani is one of the only people who can get to the hospital in time to help doctors make some necessary decisions, primarily putting her into a medically-induced coma until they can figure out what's going on. Given that twist, Kazan actually spends much of "The Big Sick" unconscious in the background, though her effortlessly charming work prior to that coma more than ensures her presence is always felt.
What if saw Kazan inadvertently wooing Daniel Radcliffe
Speaking of great Zoe Kazan rom-coms, 2013's "What If" is one that's received considerably less attention over the years. While we're certainly not here to argue "What If" is in the same league as the Oscar-nominated "The Big Sick," it's often every bit as charming, funny, and surprising, and currently boasts a decidedly fresh 74% critical rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
If you've yet to get eyes on this egregiously underrated rom-com gem, "What If" follows a self-loathing medical school dropout named Wallace (Daniel Radcliffe) who, after a series of disastrous relationships, swears off the idea of falling in love for good. As is the case in any such romantic comedy, he promptly meets Chantry (Kazan), an animator whom he quickly realizes may, in fact, be the woman of his dreams. Unfortunately, Wallace's feelings are initially thwarted by the news that Chantry has a long-term boyfriend, and decides it's best to leave well-enough alone.
Fate soon throws the pair back together and a deep friendship begins to flourish that teases the possibility of much more if properly nurtured. From there, "What If" gets complicated in ways many-a rom-com has before. It frequently does so in refreshingly unexpected fashion, however, with Kazan's and Radcliffe's simmering chemistry anchoring the film, and fiery supporting turns from Adam Driver, Mackenzie Davis, and Rafe Spall filling out the sharply-scripted action in a suitably silly fashion.