Heart Eyes‘s cast includes some major young stars and some seasoned screen performers, who all fit neatly into the chaotic little horror/romcom fusion. Helmed by Werewolves Within and Scare Me director Josh Ruben, Heart Eyes focuses on the тιтular masked killer. Heart Eyes is a riff on the Jason Vorhees and Michael Meyers slasher archetype, a murderer who travels the United States and kills people on Valentine’s Day. The killer’s newest target is Ally and Jay, who actually aren’t a couple (even if there’s a spark between them).

The movie largely follows Ally and Jay as they struggle to survive the night and stay ahead of the killer. This turns out to be a great showcase for Heart Eyes‘ stars Mason Gooding and Olivia Holt, who both get to show off their skills as the plot forces their characters into horrifying, funny, and romantic scenes. Surrounding them is a solid cast of supporting players who help flesh out the world of the critically acclaimed Heart Eyes in creative ways.

Olivia Holt As Ally McCabe

Born August 5, 1997

Active Since: 2010

Actor: Olivia Holt stars as Ally in Heart Eyes, giving the former Disney actress her second horror film. Born in Germantown, Tennessee, Olivia Holt got her start in television in commercials before being cast in the Disney XD show Kinkin’ It. After several years on that show and the Disney Channel comedy I Didn’t Do It, Holt joined the Marvel Universe as Tandy Bowen/Dagger in Cloak & Dagger. Holt juggles her film, television, and stage roles with a music career, and has collaborated with artists like R3hab and Meghan Trainor.

Character: Ally is the main character of Heart Eyes. A med-school dropout who has found gainful work at an advertising firm, Ally finds herself in a rut at the onset of the film. Still heartbroken over a recent break-up and struggling at work, her interactions with Jay have all the makings of a potential romance. However, the Heart Eyes serial killer also notices that chemistry and hunts them down, forcing Ally to fight to survive and overcome her inability not to run from challenges.

Mason Gooding As Jay Simmonds

Born November 14, 1996

Active Since: 2016

Actor: Born in Los Angeles, California, Mason Gooding is the male lead in Heart Eyes opposite Olivia Holt. The son of Academy Award winning actor Cuba Gooding Jr., Gooding made his TV debut in Spring Street before earning memorable minor roles in Ballers, Everything’s Going To Be Okay, and Booksmart. Gooding found his breakout role in Love, Victor, where he plays Andrew Spencer. Since then, Gooding has also become one of the key characters in the modern Scream films, playing the surprisingly durable comic relief Chad Meeks-Martin.

Character: Jay is the Ally’s love interest in Heart Eyes. A freelance creative in the advertising industry, Jay arrives in Seattle at the behest of Ally’s boss to help with a potentially doomed jewelry campaign. Charming if somewhat overbearing, Jay’s efforts to bond with Ally are complicated by a series of comical misfortunes, not the least of which is a masked killer trying to murder them. As the film progresses, Jay allows himself to lash out a bit more, with his vulnerability in turn helping convince Ally to open up a bit more too.

Jordana Brewster As Detective Jeanine Shaw

Born April 26, 1980

Active Since: 1995

Actor: Born in Panama City, Panama, Jordana Brewster grew up in Brazil and London, England before moving to the United States as a child. A Yale graduate, Brewster made her television debut in soap operas like All My Children and As the World Turns. After minor roles in films like The Faculty and The Invisible Circus, Brewster found her big break with the role of Mia Toretto in The Fast and the Furious. Brewster has subsequently been a major figure in that series, as well as the star of shows like Dallas, American Crime Story, and Lethal Weapon.

Character: Detective Shaw is one of the main police officers in Heart Eyes. A Seattle-based detective who works alongside her bullish partner Hobbs, Shaw is ᴀssigned to the Heart Eyes case after the mysterious murderer slaughters a number of people across the city. Shaw is a love-lorn character who serves as an unexpectedly funny foil to Ally and teases a possible attraction to Jay.

Heart Eyes’ Supporting Cast & Characters

Heart Eyes Uses Some Silly Side-Characters To Flesh Out The Setting

Heart Eyes is a relatively focused film, with much of the action and drama remaining specifically focused on Ally and Jay as they try to survive the night. However, the movie does fill out the supporting cast with some memorable performers, who add solid comedic beats to the film. Among the most prominent of these is Gigi Zumbado (The Rookie) as Ally’s snarky but supportive best friend Monica. Devon Sawa (Final Destination) plays Detective Zeke Hobbs, the bad cop partner to the more relaxed Shaw.

Michaela Watkins (Casual) also appears in the film as Ally’s boss Crystal Cane, whose decision to recruit Jay to salvage a controversial ad campaign set off by Ally sets off the plot of the film. There are other memorable characters in the film, but they are hard to discuss without revealing their true role in the narrative. Heart Eyes is a surprisingly twisty but consistently entertaining film that benefits from a cast that is able to switch easily between the horror and comedy tones. Heart Eyes even gets effectively romantic at times, another testament to the film’s cast.