If there’s one genre of film that we know we can count on for binge-worthy viewing, it’s feminist teen dramas.
Thankfully, Netflix’s lineup of feminist-fuelled, gen Z content—hello, Sex Education and Elite—has just released its latest TV-take on life in high school in the form of their latest flick, Moxie.
Based on a novel by Jennifer Mathieu, the film follows teenage student Vivian as she navigates the sexist and objectifying behaviour her peers perpetuate.
Best described as Booksmart meets Euphoria—with a pinch of Genera+ion—the female-driving coming-of-age flick sees a shy young woman, inspired by her mom’s rebellious past and a confident new friend, publish an anonymous zine calling out sexism at her school.
Precisely the type of content that our youth should be absorbing right now, Moxie‘s crowd of characters are some of the coolest yet.
Here, marie claire lists the Moxie cast members (both old and new) that you should get Instagram-acquainted with before your weekend binge.
Hadley Robinson as Vivian
Thanks to a feminist awakening, 16-year-old Vivian is inspired to anonymously publish Moxie, an audacious zine that rebels against the school’s misogynist status quo and sparks a revolution.
Actor Hadley Robinson, who plays Vivian in the film, wrote and directed her own feminist manifesto in 2019, based on a women-centric take on Samuel Beckett’s play Waiting for Godot. Since then, she also landed her first major role in Greta Gerwig’s Little Women and has racked up a few other credits in projects like Amazon’s Utopia and Charlie Kaufman’s Netflix film I’m Thinking of Ending Things. But Moxie is her first starring role.
Instagram:@hadleyrobinson
Followers:9.8K
Alycia Pascual-Peña as Lucy
Following her breakthrough performance in the Saved By the Bell reboot, Alycia Pascual-Peña steps into the role of Lucy, a new student, who is outspoken and has absolutely no tolerance for school golden boy Mitchell Wilson’s bullying and misogyny.
So, when she discovers the Moxie zine in the girls’ bathroom, she is immediately onboard to be at the forefront of a feminist revolution—and her charisma and tenacity make her the perfect person for the job.
Instagram: @alyciadelsol
Followers: 16k
Lauren Tsai as Claudia
If you’ve watched Netflix’s hidden gem, Terrace House, then you may recognise the 23-year-old model and illustrator Lauren Tsai. Making her film debut in Moxie, she plays Vivian’s childhood best friend, Claudia. Both risk-averse introverts, the pairing starts to drift as Vivian begins to unleash her inner rebel, leaving Claudia to find her own way, as a first-generation Chinese-American, to be a Moxie girl on her own practical terms.
Instagram: @laurentsai
Followers: 859K
Josephine Langford as Emma
Known for her most recent role in the After series, Josephine Langford plays Emma, the school’s It-girl. While she’s pretty, blonde, and popular—and was voted “Most Bangable” by her male classmates—she’s so much more than a sexist title; she’s smart, ambitious, and way more plugged into the Moxie agenda than her peers think, even if she doesn’t always show it.
Instagram: @josephinelangford
Followers: 3.5m
Josie Totah as CJ
Playing CJ, Josie Totah not only gets to flaunt her musical theatre chops with a Little Shop of Horrors audition, but she also finds sisterhood and support with the members of Moxie. With their encouragement, CJ feels empowered enough to drown out the her bullies, audition for the lead role of Audrey in the school musical, and ofcourse, earn the crown for herself.
Instagram: @josietotah
Followers: 820K
Sydney Park as Kiera
Sydney Park steps into the role of Keira, captain of the girls soccer team, who is disciplined and focused. She knows exactly how hard she and her team need to work in order to be recognised as much as the boys at their school do. After she goes head to head with another male schoolmate for an athletic scholarship, it starts a war at Rockport High as Moxie endorses Kiera as the best athlete in school. With their help, she’s able to raise her voice and demand recognition.
Instagram: @heysydneypark
Followers: 352K
Anjelika Washington as Amaya
Actor Anjelika Washington plays Amaya, Kiera’s teammate, and best friend. Always there to hype up her nearest and dearest while also energizing anyone she comes into contact with, Amaya is feisty and exuberant and is Moxie‘s—and maybe Lucy’s—biggest fan.
Instagram: @anjelikaw
Followers: 84.4K
Sabrina Haskett as Kaitlynn
Played by newcomer Sabrina Haskett, Kaitlynn inspires the creation of Moxie after she’s publicly shamed by the principal in the middle of class for wearing a tank top to school. After the public humiliation, she is promptly sent home for violating Rockport’s sexist dress code that discriminates against girls which, naturally, bothers Vivian so much that she immediately takes rebellion into her own hands.
Instagram: @sabrinahaskett
Followers: 4.5K
Nico Hiraga as Seth
Starting his breakthrough year, 23-year-old Nico Hiraga steps into the shoes of Seth, who might be the most perfect teenage boy ever written. Both awkward, yet cool, he’s a feminist who stands by Vivian without getting in her way or speaking over her. He respects her, supports her decisions—in all honesty, he’s everything you’d want in an ally.
Instagram: @nicotheduffer
Followers: 352K
Patrick Schwarzenegger as Mitchell Wilson
The picture of toxic masculinity, Mitchell Wilson, played by Patrick Schwarzenegger, uses his popularity and white, male privilege as a weapon to get what he wants. Aggressive, rude and discriminatory, he also happens to be the most popular guy in school, partially because he finds pleasure terrorising women under the guise of charisma.
Instagram: @patrickschwarzenegger
Followers: 1.4m
