Ugly Cry (Robinson, 2026): A Touching Study of Insecurities in the Acting World

Everyone knows the feeling of trying to fit in. Whether we can admit it or not, it is there. At some point in your life, there might be a time when you think you need to change who you are. But we never really think about the truth in that matter. Where realistically, being who we are is unique. Nobody needs to change to ‘fit in’. Being yourself needs to become more normalized. We all need to understand that this shows people who we really are. If they do not like it, then that is on them.

Ugly Cry2026

It is remarkable how the youth have taken a stand against the old idea of ‘normal’. Maybe not everyone, yes, but that is because they need to feel a safe space where they can. Those who push back have started forming a safe space for others. To make the message even stronger, when filmmakers can include ideals like these in their films, it takes it to such a wider audience. Seeing this representation on screen not only shares what it is like to speak your truth, but can provide reassurance for those who are not so sure.

As a female in the industry, young actress Emily Robinson has been in several coming-of-age type films. From acting as a child to now being an adult, she clearly wants to create a safe space for those who her younger self could relate to. Doing just that, Robinson has created Ugly Cry her feature-length directorial debut. A film that ultimately reminds us that our quirks are what make us who we are. The young creative not only directed Ugly Cry, but wrote, produced and acted in it too.

A young actress is at her wits end when she finds out the casting crew she just auditioned for wants her to cry less. After her her boyfriend leaves town to shoot a zombie movie, she becomes obsessed with securing a new role. The producers think she has an ‘ugly cry’ and she goes to great lengths to fix this. Yet trying to cry prettier only makes the performance itself worse. In multiple attempts to change herself for the producers, her younger self begins to haunt her. Slowly isolating herself and growing delusional, she becomes overly addicted to physically changing herself for her cry. Her grasp on reality and the importance of being herself slips away as she falls further down the rabbit hole of trying to be perfect.

If you get uncomfortable easily, take this as a warning. It is in no way an easy watch, Ugly Cry. But it feels in fact necessary, especially for young people. As the new generation, we need to begin to learn that we should not change who we are, for anyone. In this unconventional way, Robinson shares this with the world. Pulling from past experience and a want to make an independent film with friends, Ugly Cry was created. As it unfolds, you begin to understand more and more just how much emotion and passion went into the creation of this world and its characters.

Depending on how you take it, Ugly Cry surprises you from the start. How else would you expect a film of this title to start than with the protagonist crying? Yet, you still could never anticipate what happens next. Beginning with such a relatable feeling of not being good enough, Robinson takes her viewers on a journey they could not predict. That is the fascinating thing about the creative world, though there are elements we can all relate to, the fictionalization is where the creatives have a chance to express themselves more.

As her own protagonist, not only has she seamlessly directed herself in Ugly Cry, but she creates an ensemble that compliment one another while telling the story. Filled with drama, *character was made to be an actress. Every quality attributed to her relates directly to how you would expect those trying to break into the industry to feel. Emotional, self-conscious, looking for approval, all is there woven in between the lines and delivered through a haunting performance.

Robinson clearly has fun with her feature-length debut. She reminisces on the phase all girls go through while bringing in some dramatized and comedic elements to elevate the plot. Even with the additional level of pure insanity (at times), there is still so much there for the viewer to take in.

“What’s wrong with me? Why am I not good enough?”

The universality of this question expands beyond the realm of young girls and actors. The ideas of perfection are imbedded in society. Perhaps they are not followed to as great of an extent as *character does, but they are still there. With help from filmmakers like Robinson, the world is on the path to abolish the need for them. At times it feels as though Robinson goes to absurd lengths to get her message across. But the fun comes from these moments alone, thus reminding us that it is okay to still have fun when you are trying to share a message. In fact, throwing in the comedic elements might make it a bit more enjoyable in someways.

Robinson and crew had the chance to premiere Ugly Cry on March 12, 2026 at the SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. Not only was this feature-length debut funny, relatable, while also sad, it proves just how talented young artists can be. Ugly Cry shares the struggles one girl goes through to try to fit in while allowing a young filmmaker to break into the industry with a topic she can create passion for.