A few months ago, my daughter Darby and I were getting comfortable in our seats at the movie theater. During the previews, she suddenly exclaimed, “That’s Aidan! Mom, that’s Aidan!”
I glanced up and immediately recognized the messy brown hair. It was Aidan Delbis, someone I remembered from many high school plays – he’d been in the drama club at Crescenta Valley High School with my daughter.
He found himself sitting at a kitchen table with Jesse Plemons and Emma Stone, as the title card for “Bugonia” – and the director’s name, Yorgos Lanthimos – appeared on the screen.
I asked my daughter if she realized something important. While CV is a good public school known for its theater program, it’s not a place where you’d expect to find up-and-coming actors with famous connections. So, it was surprising that someone who had just graduated last year was already starring in a major movie – it should have been a much bigger story before the movie’s trailer even came out.
“No,” she said, furiously messaging various friends. “But now they will.”
And now he has. When Delbis was cast in “Bugonia,” he didn’t just join Yorgos Lanthimos’s remake of the 2003 film “Save the Green Planet!” He also became part of a classic Hollywood story: a 17-year-old actor submitted an audition online and landed a significant role in a major film.
Written by Will Tracy and already generating Oscar buzz, “Bugonia” premiered at the Venice Film Festival in August and has since been shown at festivals in Toronto and New York. The film, releasing this Friday, is a darkly comedic and slightly strange thriller about the kidnapping of pharmaceutical CEO Michelle (Stone) by conspiracy theorist Teddy (Plemons) and his cousin, Don (Delbis).
Teddy is convinced Michelle isn’t human – he thinks she’s an alien with a mission to destroy the world. Don fully trusts Teddy and gets drawn into his schemes, but he frequently voices his doubts, acting as a voice of reason and preventing Teddy from taking things too far. In a lot of ways, Don is the emotional center of the story.
He is also, like the actor who plays him, autistic.
Delbis prefers to identify as autistic, and wasn’t always focused on becoming famous. He took drama throughout high school, but didn’t really fall in love with acting until his junior year. He says he began to enjoy the challenge of understanding and portraying different characters, finding it both enjoyable and a little intimidating.
He admits he wasn’t initially planning a career in this field. However, it took off during high school, and now he’s here.
It’s a rainy October afternoon at the Four Seasons Hotel, and 19-year-old Delbis is relaxing with a snack of Goldfish crackers after completing his first professional photo shoot. He’s about to have his first in-depth interview. Fresh off attending film festivals and the London premiere of “Bugonia” – where he signed autographs and traveled in first class – Delbis is joined by his parents, Katy and David Delbis, and his coach, Elaine Hall.
Delbis is a kind and towering young man with a unique way of speaking – he’s always calm and measured. Surprisingly, he talks about filmmaking with more ease and confidence than many seasoned actors I’ve interviewed in this hotel, often pausing to collect his thoughts and repeating himself as he does so.
He explained it began when his mother befriended an agent named April. April sent his mom details for a promising audition, which he applied for. He impressed them and was invited back for a callback.
The story began earlier than that point. Having already chosen Willem Dafoe and Emma Stone for roles, Lanthimos decided he also wanted to cast someone with no professional acting experience as Don.
In a recent phone interview, the director of “The Favourite” and “Poor Things,” originally from Greece, explained that they conducted a broad search for the right actor. They wanted to introduce a new energy by casting alongside two established performers, and ultimately felt the character would be more compelling if played by someone neurodivergent.
Casting director Jennifer Venditti announced an open casting call, and April Smallwood from Spotlight Development spotted it. She then shared the information with Delbis’ mother, Katy.
Katy describes her son Aidan as a cheerful and carefree young man who is neurodivergent. Though La Crescenta isn’t known for the film industry, the Delbis family has ties to Hollywood. Aidan’s brother, Tristan, who is also neurodivergent, works at a movie theater, and their father, David, is retiring after a long career with the Writers Guild Health Fund. Katy considers herself a creative person and has some acting experience herself. However, no one initially thought of film acting as a possible career path for Aidan, who planned to take a year off after high school. And, Katy admits, she didn’t know what kind of movie it would be when they mentioned it was for a ‘big film’ – something they often say.
Katy remembered it being similar to when Delbis, a track team member in high school, decided to try out for basketball. “Driving him to school, I warned him he might not make the team because a lot of players had years of experience,” Katy explained. “But he just said, ‘Mom, I just want to experience it for myself.'”
Now Delbis wanted to see what it would be like to audition for a “big film.”
I have to say, this kid Smallwood really impressed me. He did a fantastic Vincent Price monologue – the one from Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ – at his school talent show, and his friend Katy thankfully caught it all on her phone. Smallwood submitted that video, and the next day, he was on a Zoom call with Venditti, followed by a meeting with Delbis. That kicked off months of intense work – meetings, rehearsals, and auditions – to see if this kid had what it takes.
We noticed him immediately,” Venditti explains. “He appeared successful and dedicated.
Delbis admitted he didn’t realize the scope of the project. He also said he hadn’t seen any films directed by Yorgos before.
Lanthimos, Stone, and Plemons were all in Los Angeles for the Oscars in March, and during that time, they met with Delbis. They were all very favorably impressed with him.
Lanthimos decided to cast an actor with neurodivergence, believing it would lend authenticity and a refreshing unpredictability to the character. He found working with Delbis no more difficult than collaborating with any other actor, and upon meeting him, he immediately knew Delbis was the right person for the part.
Stone, who is also a producer on the film, recently explained that the first time she saw footage of Don, he immediately came across as incredibly charismatic. She believes Don serves as the viewers’ perspective, allowing them to see past the deception.
Still, there were many more steps to take.
“It’s a big leap for any nonprofessional,” Stone says. “It’s a big part in what is essentially a three-hander.”
It was an even bigger challenge for an actor with autism. While Delbis was clearly talented, he also needed to cope with the stress, downtime, and unpredictable environment of a movie set. So, Venditti contacted Elaine Hall. Hall, the founder of the Miracle Project and a mother to a grown son who is neurodivergent, has spent over 20 years as an acting coach, working to improve representation and understanding of neurodivergent and disabled individuals. She’s frequently asked to assess an actor’s suitability for a role – considering how comfortable they are with the script, their physical endurance, how self-sufficient they are, and their emotional range.
According to her, Delbis seemed perfect. He shared her love of horror movies, was a track athlete, and was about to go on a school trip to Sweden without his parents.
He describes himself as quiet and reserved, so Hall assigned him exercises to practice expressing stronger emotions. This was to prepare him for potentially intense scenes with other actors – one rehearsal, for example, included a scene where an actor screamed several times.
Hall notes that mastering these exercises usually takes weeks, but Delbis accomplished it in just a weekend with his mother’s help. She also assisted him in preparing for his meeting and chemistry read with Plemons.
Delbis admitted to feeling a little nervous, though he wasn’t sure why. He didn’t initially recognize the actor, Jesse Plemons. Even though he’d watched ‘Breaking Bad,’ it didn’t click that Plemons had played Todd. About halfway through the audition, Delbis pointed out the resemblance, and Plemons confirmed he was the actor who played the role. Delbis says he’s enjoyed Plemons’ work in other projects since then, adding that he’s a really good actor.
More important, he says, “Jesse seemed to me to be a very cool guy.”
The feeling was definitely shared. Actor Jesse Plemons explained during a phone interview from London that he was both thrilled and slightly apprehensive when Aidan joined the project. They began with one of the most intense scenes in the movie. As Plemons realized Aidan could handle the challenging material, he knew they’d found the perfect person for the role of Don.
As all of this unfolded, Delbis was completing his final year of school and even starred in a production of “Almost Maine.” He says it wasn’t too difficult overall, but it often meant a busy schedule. He’d sometimes have to immediately switch from studying to play rehearsal.
Venditti clearly recalls the incident. “We were being overly cautious, trying not to overwhelm him,” she said with a laugh, “but he was handling everything with ease, calmly doing multiple things at once.”
California
After Delbis was cast in May, he and his family had to sign a confidentiality agreement, so he couldn’t share the news with friends after graduating. He and his family then traveled to the U.K. to start filming, which was difficult for his parents to keep quiet. His mother, Katy, explains that whenever she almost let something slip, his brother, Aidan, quickly stopped her. Delbis turned eighteen near the filming location outside of Windsor, and the production filmed there for three months before moving to Atlanta for two weeks.
Hall joined the production as a support person and creative guide for Delbis, a role she considers unique. Her goal was to make the acting process smoother for Delbis, who is neurodivergent. She advised director Yorgos Lanthimos and the writer to make the script pages less detailed, removing unnecessary descriptions of actions so Delbis wouldn’t feel pressured to follow them exactly. They readily agreed to this suggestion.
“We didn’t want to put any limits on him,” Lanthimos says.
Delbis personally selected almost all of the outfits worn in the film, including the beekeeping suit (which he admits was uncomfortable), staying true to his own style – even down to the horror movie shirts and odd socks. The food the characters Teddy and Don eat – like mac and cheese, taquitos, and spaghetti – also reflects Delbis’ personal preferences.
Hall made sure Delbis had plenty of time to get ready before filming. She helped him prepare with practice sessions and relaxation techniques. She even visited the set early to give him a heads-up about what to expect and asked the crew to create a private space for him between scenes. They built a small room decorated with horror movie posters and stuffed animals resembling his cats. Because his favorite Goldfish crackers weren’t available in the U.K., the team had them specially shipped in.
Venditti shared that having Elaine on set was fantastic. He believes her role – observing and reporting on the real experiences of people during filming – is a really innovative idea, and he wonders why they hadn’t considered it sooner.
Delbis and Plemons worked together closely, and Plemons would sometimes cover for Delbis when she needed to step away from filming, according to Hall.
We had a lot of fun and naturally became close,” Delbis explains. “I really consider Jesse a friend.”
For his part, Plemons enjoyed being around someone who spoke his mind.
Plemons really admired Aidan’s honesty. He explains that on a film set, there’s a lot of downtime, and Aidan wasn’t afraid to ask, ‘What’s happening?’ or ‘Why is this taking so long?’ Plemons adds that he was often thinking the same thing. He describes Aidan as intelligent, thoughtful, and confident, and says Aidan would always politely point out if something wasn’t clear.
Stone explained that although she got along well with her co-star Delbis, she intentionally kept a slight distance when the cameras weren’t rolling. She didn’t want to develop a close relationship like the one her character’s rivals, Aidan and Jesse, had in the movie, because the story portrayed them as opponents, and she didn’t want to disrupt that dynamic.
The two-time Oscar winner explained that Aidan was hilarious during filming. He kept everyone laughing, especially during the tense kidnapping scene. They spent a lot of time together in a basement setting, and Aidan constantly cracked jokes to lighten the mood.
Delbis explains that while watching the show ‘Bugonia’, they didn’t recognize the actress Emma Stone at first. It wasn’t until later they remembered their parents had shown them a scene from the movie ‘Easy A’ – specifically, a clip of a character enthusiastically interacting with a birthday card in a scene called ‘Pocketful of Sunshine’ – and realized that was her.
While filming, Delbis was completely focused and professional. He’s especially proud that some of his improvised lines ended up in the final cut of the movie.
He explains that while Don faced tougher circumstances than he has, he strongly related to Don’s emotional state. He felt a similar sense of distress, helplessness, inner conflict, and confusion, recalling experiencing those same feelings during high school classes.
Lanthimos praises Aidan’s natural talent, recalling a particularly emotional scene near the end of the film that actually brought him to tears – a first for the director on any set.
Let me tell you, filming with Jesse Plemons was… challenging at times. There was one scene in particular that we shot and re-shot endlessly. It was sweltering on set, and honestly, it required me to really push my emotional limits – more than I usually do. But what I really loved was that Yorgos Lanthimos gave me the space to experiment. There’s a moment where Jesse’s character throws a chair, and I thought, ‘Now that is cool!’ Thankfully, the director let me have a go at it too, at the end of the day. Fingers crossed it ends up on the blooper reel!
The crew surprised him with a s’mores party after filming wrapped, which he was thrilled about. He’d actually suggested it, noticing a fire pit on set that would be perfect for making them. “I mentioned it, so it was my idea,” he explained.
Delbis is pleased with the final result of the film and his own performance, joking that he looked great in one particular suit. He doesn’t have a strong opinion on the discussion about whether autistic actors should always play autistic characters, but he appreciates that filmmakers are starting to create more realistic and respectful portrayals of neurodivergent people.
Honestly, what really matters to me as a filmmaker is making sure the audience gets the core message of the film. It’s not about flashy effects or anything – I want them to understand what I was trying to say.
He argues that we need to be more understanding of others, even when we disagree with their beliefs, because everyone faces their own challenges. He believes the film highlights this idea, pointing out that many people struggle with acceptance and tolerance.
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2025-10-22 13:33