In her latest chapter, Zoey Deutch is in her “why not?” era, swinging between genres, stacking up producer credits and leaning into the comedy she grew up idolizing in movies like Anchorman and Zoolander. She’s the rare performer who can make you sob through a film like Voicemails for Isabelle one week and then howl with laughter at an unhinged satire in Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass, her most recent film that’s now playing in theatres.

The film follows small-town Kansas hairdresser Gail Daughtry (Zoey Deutch), who is devastated when her fiancé sleeps with his “celebrity sex pass” weeks before their wedding. Determined to even the score, Gail and her best friend Otto (Miles Gutierrez-Riley) head to Los Angeles on a wild mission to track down and sleep with her own pass: Jon Hamm. Directed by David Wain, the comedy also stars John Slattery and Ken Marino.

When I first interviewed Deutch in Toronto for Before I Fall back in 2017, she was already a veteran of Hollywood’s grind, an actor who’d quietly been working for nearly a decade by the time most people were calling her a rising star. Cut to now: she has a filmography that pinballs from teen dramas to adult comedy.

In a virtual interview for Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass, which is now playing in theatres, Deutch lights up when she talks about the kind of comedy she loves — those big, unapologetically silly movies she grew up on. Her new project fits squarely into that wheelhouse.

She recalls reading the script for the first time and being instantly hooked by its tone: “I am such a fan of David and Ken’s work, and I never really think about how things are going to fit into a bigger picture. It’s day by day, and I read this script, and totally fell in love with how ridiculous, funny and brilliantly stupid it was.”

This was, she says, “the kind of movie that I love to watch,” and that simple test — Would I want to see this? — became a powerful reason to fight to be in it. She reached out directly to director Wain and quickly became part of the team, grateful to join a project that made her laugh as hard on the page as it does on screen.

“It was just one of the funniest things I’d ever read, and I wanted to be a part of it. I feel very lucky that I got to be a part of it.”

Though Deutch, 31, is often praised for her comic timing, she’s quick to redirect the spotlight toward her collaborators. Surrounded by sketch and comedy veterans, including Ken Marino, she viewed the set as a masterclass in physical comedy.

While many actors insist physical comedy is far harder than it looks, Deutch treats it as an opportunity to learn in real time from the best in the business. She credits her co-stars as “deeply, deeply, deeply talented physical comedians” and describes her mindset on set as one of excitement and curiosity.

When it comes to improvisation, there was some room to play but not much. The script, she says, was tight and time on set limited. The priority was always to “get what was on the page” first. Only when they had extra time could they experiment and riff. “But this was not one that needed any jujing. It was just so funny already. But I loved when there was an opportunity to do more improv.”

One of the film’s most delightful conceits is its use of hyper-exaggerated, self-aware versions of Jon Hamm and John Slattery. For Deutch, acting opposite them was both a thrill and a testament to their range.

“They’re both such legendary actors, and obviously deeply talented dramatic actors, but also comedians, and it’s just a testament to how cool they are that they were down to kind of poke fun at themselves,” she said.

Both, she insists, are among the funniest people she’s ever met, and the experience of working with them was nothing short of “a blast.”

From heartbreaking drama to outrageous comedy, Deutch’s recent slate showcases a remarkable range. Yet Deutch rejects the idea that this breadth comes from a calculated strategy. She insists she isn’t particularly selective in a traditional, hyper-managed sense, nor does she operate with a long-term, carefully mapped-out arc in mind.

Instead, she describes her approach as intuitive and joy-driven: “I have no master plan. I love what I do. I feel so grateful that I get to do it.”

Shooting this film right before Voicemails for Isabelle was “creatively fulfilling” precisely because the projects felt so different. Moving between those worlds kept things fresh.

In recent years, Deutch has increasingly stepped behind the camera as a producer and executive producer, including on this project. That shift, she says, has changed her acting for the better. “When I’ve produced the projects that I’ve been a part of, it makes me a better actor because when I have more information, I feel more equipped to show up on the day and be the best that I can be and I want to be of service to the greater good of the project.” She frames her dual roles not as competing hats but as complementary ones. Acting and producing, in her view, “work together, not separately.”

In a conversation that touches on “celebrity sex passes,” Deutch takes an unexpected but deeply on-brand turn. Asked which fictional character from cinematic history would make her list, she doesn’t hesitate: SpongeBob.

The answer has, by her own admission, “raised some eyebrows.” But she’s sticking with it—firmly, and with delight. “Love that guy,” she says. “Always have, always will.”

It’s a choice that reflects her sensibility: quirky, surprising, and fully committed to the bit. It’s also a reminder that part of Deutch’s appeal is how unpretentious she remains, even as her résumé and profile keep expanding.

For all she’s already done, Deutch is keenly aware of what’s missing from her filmography and she’s eager to fill the gaps. Top of her list? Horror. Specifically, a psychological thriller-style horror film. She hasn’t done one yet, and it’s a genre she’s itching to explore. Alongside that, she mentions a musical and even a Western as dream territories she hasn’t yet ventured into.

As our conversation wraps, it is clear Deutch is here to play, to experiment and to keep surprising us, one brilliantly stupid choice at a time.

Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass is now playing in theatres.