Model and actress Dylan Wardwell is not just portraying a trans woman in this new short film but also identifies as that in real life. With Sweet Talkin’ Guy, she pulls from her honest experiences of what it has been like to date.
With having several amusing encounters with cis gendered men, eventually she realized some of the dates she had went on could translate to become something entertaining on screen for viewers to watch. Her brother, Spencer, already has a solid career with helping to create commercials and other filmed content, but this marks the first time they have collaborated together. Creating a short film about authenticity and a view of how crazy dating can be, this new project has the potential to be relatable to a wide audience due to how most humans are going through or have made it past the initial dating phase of a relationship.
Being a member of the LGBTQ community sometimes can add an additional level of awkwardness to dating, and this film captures that perfectly, especially as an account of the unique challenges transgender individuals deal with. I sat down with Dylan and Spencer on Zoom to discuss lots of exciting things pertaining to their project that was screened for viewers at the iconic Sundance Film Festival this year!
I really loved how the short film explored the unexpected surprises that can come from with dating as a trans individual. How much of the story came from your real life experiences that you ended up pouring into the project?
Dylan: Initially, I had thought it came from one specific experience but then I realized it came from something I dealt with in several instances. It came from having this man trying to take me home as a one night stand. He started to unravel in front of me and reveal things. Then it made me realize it was not a unique experience. I then thought it would make a good short film.
In the short Dylan deals with the fragile masculinity of guys she is dating. What do you think is an important message viewers can take away about toxic masculinity and how it is damaging to men in society?
Spencer: It is just not a good thing for men to do to themselves and those around them. Hopefully this short just addresses that through satire and mocking it, those are some of the best antidotes to a lot of toxicity we see around us. When you make certain actions look ridiculous it can be a counter to their ways. So by putting their behavior on display that shows how silly and unnecessary it is. That will hopefully help mitigate some of these traditionally toxic behaviors that sometimes others can display.
Lately we have been seeing a rise in transgender and gender non-conforming film content. Why do you think sharing stories from these perspectives are important and what unique value can viewers get from individuals who identify within those communities?
Dylan: I hope this story has the ability to resonate with many groups of people. I feel like the short can even be important for men who are attracted to trans women or are finding themselves attracted to them for the first time. I think many women have had similar experiences to this. I feel like many can relate to being in this situation where there is terrible awkwardness on a date.
In a lot of ways the character of Dylan embraces many parts of her authentic self. The men she goes on dates with are hiding parts of their true self due to their egos. What do you think Dylan can teach people about the importance of embracing your true self?
Dylan: I think the main thing she can teach viewers is just to not take things so seriously and have fun. Life is short so you have just got to embrace it and not worry much about what others think. Enjoy yourself and do not allow the opinions of others to make you not live your life how you want.
The film really had an authentic vibe. Was it always important for the story to be told in a real honest way?
Dylan: Definitely. It is based on real life experiences so it was important to keep it grounded and put that in the lenses in which we created from. Dating can be so awkward at times and drawing from those real life experiences and putting them into the short was a huge part of the process.
What was the filming process like and what was the biggest challenge of getting the movie made?
Spencer: The filming process was really wonderful. This was Dylan’s and [my] first collaboration. We have been wanting to work together for a long time though so it was great to finally be able to make that happen. We were sitting on this script for around two years. When we got one of our producers, April, on board with the project, she set a date and said, “This is really going to happen.”
We were grateful to have such great collaborators that were so talented and hard working. Honestly we faced very few challenges and the filming process went smoothly. Dylan and I are siblings and have a really great working relationship, so that was awesome too. For me, though, the biggest challenge was the budget. The thing with making any film is that it always costs more than you think it is going to. Even something like a short film that is seemingly small and simple. it can be difficult to get the funds needed.
The film had a few important messages for the audience, but if there was one that you hope they take away from it, what would it be?
Spencer: Just do not take yourself too seriously. I mean, yes these are serious issues and mature subject matter but I am not saying to take the experience shown in the film lightly. The men, though, in the story are so burdened by their own egos and worrying about things that are not even a real issue. I hope it just reminds people to lighten up.
With everything going on in the world right now regarding LGBTQ rights, and with all the good and bad conversations going on now by people regarding the community, why do you think it is so important for this story to be told now at this point in 2025?
Dylan: The political climate is shifting a certain way that does not want to see queer people thrive. I feel like the film is more than just about that though. Not even speaking from just a solely and traditional political view, dating in general just has gotten really terrible. I hope we are able to find solace and communal camaraderie in this dating battlefield we all are going through as young adults.
