Summary

• Lorelei Linklater initially eagerly participated in Boyhood but later became uncomfortable with being documented as she went through awkward teenage years.
• Lorelei Linklater is critical of Boyhood's gender dynamics, feeling that some female characters lacked depth and personality towards the end.
• Despite her critiques, Lorelei maintains a sense of honesty with her director dad, expressing her concerns about certain aspects of the film.

Boyhood was filmed over 12 years, from 2002 to 2013, as it offers an unparalleled glimpse into the life of a boy, Mason Evans (Ellar Coltrane), as he transitions from childhood to adulthood. The ambitious project stands as a pioneering work in the industry, not only for its prolonged production period but also for its authentic portrayal of the age of time and the evolution of its characters.

At the heart of this cinematic journey is Richard Linklater's daughter, Lorelei Linklater, who played Samantha in Boyhood, Mason's sister. This background led her to eagerly seek a part in Boyhood, seeing it as an opportunity to step into the world of acting under her father's guidance. However, as the filming progressed over the years, Lorelei Linklater's experience with the project evolved, leading her to confront unexpected challenges and realizations. Her journey through Boyhood became not just a portrayal of Samantha's growth but also a reflection of Linklater's own personal and artistic development.

Lorelei Linklater Was Uncomfortable With Having Her Growth Documented

Lorelei Linklater's involvement in Boyhood began as a child's eager venture into acting. However, as she matured, she became increasingly uncomfortable with the project (via Texas Standard). She described watching the film as a "pretty painful experience," struggling with the idea of being documented during her awkward teenage years. This discomfort was profound enough that, during what she refers to as the "Harry Potter year," Lorelei asked her father if her character could be killed off (via Dazed), a request he denied for the sake of the movie's plot. Of wanting to quit Boyhood, Lorelei Linklater said:

When you’re the person being documented, rather than being fascinating, it’s more just mortifying. And, I know it’s normal, but it just was hard to have the whole world see me in those awkward stages and, how do I say this, thinking that that’s me. A person that I don’t relate to whatsoever – people thinking is me.

Richard Linklater, reflecting on his daughter's request, understood her sudden change in attitude towards acting as she hit puberty (via Yahoo). He recalls her proposal to be killed off in the film, akin to an actor leaving a TV soap, but he had to refuse, considering it too dramatic for the narrative he envisioned. The celebrated filmmaker explained:

"That little extrovert kid who you see singing and dancing in the early scenes? Well, suddenly she hits puberty and everything changes. So one day she asked me: ‘Can you kill me off?’ Like an actor leaving a TV soap. ‘It’ll be a memorable episode and then I’ll be off the show.’ And I had to tell her: ‘No, that’s a little too dramatic for what I have in mind.’"

Lorelei Linklater Is Critical Of Boyhood's Gender Dynamics

Beyond her personal discomfort, Lorelei has also been critical of Boyhood's gender dynamics. To Texas Standard, she pointed out a specific scene as an example of the film not being a feminist movie, feeling that some female characters, including her own, lacked depth and personality towards the end.

"Gender roles… the sexist undertones of the film really got me… I don’t mean sexist. I wouldn’t take it that far but I mean, like, I don’t know. A lot of things in it. I’m a feminist. So, let’s just say, it’s not a feminist movie. Like, to sum up I guess what I mean, it’s like maybe the fifth year… Ellar is walking home – or Mason I guess – is walking home from school because my character hasn’t picked him up. He meets this girl and they’re talking. She asks him what book he’s reading and he says, ‘Kurt Vonnegut.’ And, she says, ‘I think my brother likes Kurt Vonnegut.’ And, I don’t know, that just kind of struck me as like, Kurt Vonnegut is for boys. And I, personally, love Kurt Vonnegut. He’s one of my favorite authors. And, I don’t know why… that may not sound like it makes any sense but, I don’t know, I just didn’t think the character really had very much personality towards the end."

Despite her critiques and the strange feeling of discussing her father's film in a negative light, Lorelei maintains a sense of honesty in her relationship with her director dad. She acknowledges the film's impact and Richard Linklater's artistic prowess, yet she does not shy away from expressing her concerns about certain aspects of Boyhood.​​ On being critical of her father's work, Lorelei Linklater mentioned:

“What I’m saying now probably sounds weird. It’s like, ‘oh she’s talking about her dad, she’s saying negative things about that, why is she doing that?’ He knows. And he’s not, I don’t think he’s phased by what I have to say. I’m always honest with him. He knows that I’m very happy to have been a part of it and think he’s an amazing artist. He knows I think that, which I do. But he also knows that I did have some problems with the film.”

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Sources: Texas Standard, Dazed, Yahoo