Stepping Into Film: Drew Starkey's Role in Love Lies Bleeding
Love Lies Bleeding (2024), directed by Rose Glass, is the kind of film that announces itself boldly. A neo-noir thriller with an electric central performance from Kristen Stewart, the film also features Drew Starkey in a supporting role — and his work in it offers a fascinating counterpoint to the character that made him famous.
About the Film
Love Lies Bleeding is a genre-bending crime drama set in the American Southwest. The story follows Lou (Kristen Stewart), a reclusive gym manager who falls for Jackie (Katy O'Brian), an ambitious bodybuilder passing through town. The film quickly escalates into something far darker and stranger, blending romance, violence, and surrealism in ways that divide audiences and delight critics.
The film premiered at the Sundance Film Festival to strong critical reception, earning praise for its direction, performances, and willingness to go to genuinely unexpected places. It arrived in cinemas in early 2024 and has since built a devoted following.
Starkey's Role
Drew Starkey plays JJ, a character whose presence in the film creates significant tension in the narrative. Without detailing every plot development, JJ represents a particular brand of threat — dangerous, volatile, and connected to the story's darker undercurrents in ways that unfold gradually.
It's a role that requires a different register than Rafe Cameron. Where Rafe is often operatically unstable, JJ operates in a more grounded, naturalistic mode that fits the film's neo-noir aesthetic. The performance is controlled and menacing in a quieter key — proof that Starkey can modulate his intensity to serve very different tonal environments.
What the Role Demonstrates
Tonal Adaptability
Moving from a Netflix teen drama to a Sundance-premiered arthouse thriller is a meaningful step. The tonal demands are genuinely different — Love Lies Bleeding requires a naturalism and restraint that doesn't always translate from more heightened material. Starkey navigates the transition convincingly.
Comfort with Ensemble Work
In a film led by Kristen Stewart and featuring a strong supporting cast, Starkey holds his own without overplaying. That's a skill in itself — knowing when your role is to serve the film rather than to star in it, and executing that service with craft.
Range Beyond the Villain
While JJ is not exactly sympathetic, the character exists in a different moral universe than Rafe Cameron. The similarities between the two roles are surface-level; the differences, in terms of how they're played and what they demand, are significant. Starkey's ability to play both speaks well of his range.
Critical Context
The film was well-received by critics, with particular praise going to Kristen Stewart and Katy O'Brian's performances, Rose Glass's direction, and the film's commitment to its own strange vision. Supporting performances, including Starkey's, contributed to the film's overall effectiveness without distracting from its central relationships.
Why This Film Matters for Starkey's Career
Appearing in a film like Love Lies Bleeding sends a clear signal about the kind of career Drew Starkey is building. This is prestige, adult, filmmaker-driven cinema — exactly the kind of project that distinguishes a serious dramatic actor from someone content to remain within one successful franchise.
It suggests an appetite for collaboration with distinctive voices in film, a willingness to take on material that's genuinely challenging, and a longer-term vision for a career built on quality over familiarity. All encouraging signs.