TV Interview!
Interview with Lillian Carrier and Lauren Meyering of the film “Horsegirls” by Suzanne 7/8/26
It was great talking to these two women. Lauren co-wrote the movie and was the director. She just has a really bouyant and positive personality in the interview. I’m in awe of both of them. They created this amazing film. Read the synopses and other info below. It’s an independent film, but I hope it gets a wide release and all the awards because it deserves it. It’s hard to believe that Lauren is such a young director. Lillian is the star of this movie, along with Gretchen Mol, who plays her mom. She carries the part off well.
The movie premieres tomorrow, July 17th, in theaters. Don’t miss it!
MORE INFO: Official Site Trailer
Directed by: Lauren Meyering
Starring: Lillian Carrier, Gretchen Mol, Jerod Haynes, Tony Hale, Matthew Schwab, Iqbal Theba
Produced by: Alix Madigan, Michael Sherman, Mackenzie Breeden
Executive Produced by: Rachael Moton, Corie Adjmi, Betsy Sherman
Co-Produced by: Blair Skinner
**World Premiere – Tribeca Festival**
**Winner – Audience Award – Cordillera International Film Festival**
**Winner – Grand Jury Award for Best Feature Film, Best Emerging Filmmaker for Lauren Meyering, Best Ensemble Cast, Best Actress for Gretchen Mol, Outstanding Performance for Lillian Carrier – The Seattle Film Festival**
** Official Selection – Three Rivers Film Festival**
** Official Selection – The Heartland International Film Festival**
RT: 101 Minutes
After her mother’s illness returns, 22-year-old Margarita, a young woman with autism, discovers the world of hobbyhorsing and sets out to prove her independence to her mother—stick horse and all.
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
Horsegirls began six years ago as a conversation with my best friend Mackenzie Breeden. The story was loosely inspired by her family, but we kept coming back to a central feeling—what it means to be seen as fragile, and the quiet defiance it takes to prove you’re not.
I imagined a protagonist who’d rarely be given the lead role in a traditional coming-of-age story. Margarita doesn’t fit the mold, and she doesn’t try to—she just wants to be taken seriously. No matter how many drafts we went through, the heart of the story stayed the same: it was always going to be a film about outsiders, about love that’s messy and overprotective, and about the weird little passions that give people purpose and make them feel less alone.
From the start, it was important that the character wasn’t a fictionalized idea of someone with autism. We cast an autistic actress in the lead, and she brought a truth and specificity that reshaped the film in ways I’ll never be able to fully describe. Her performance made the story sharper, funnier, more honest—and it challenged me to listen more as a director. It was one of the greatest gifts I could have asked for.
At its core, Horsegirls is about acceptance, but not the glossy, feel-good kind. It’s about the slow, uncomfortable process of learning to let go—of control, of assumptions, of fear. It’s about mothers and daughters, best friends, and how weird little subcultures can sometimes give people the tools to become who they really are.
– Lauren Meyering, 2025
LAUREN MEYERING (DIRECTOR)
Lauren is passionate about creating content that is visually compelling, female-driven, and thought-provoking. Her work often follows characters on a “coming-of-age” journey—regardless of what that age may be.
In addition to narrative work, Lauren has filmed across five continents with global nonprofits, crafting documentaries rooted in empathy and human connection. Her script Horsegirls was featured on the 2020 Black List. Lauren’s work has been recognized by the Women at Sundance Financing Initiative and screened at festivals nationally and internationally.
She is a freelance writer and director based in Los Angeles, and also works as a film educator, mentoring youth across the LA and Orange County area.
ABOUT SUMERIAN PICTURES
Sumerian is an artists-led independent creative studio celebrating 19 years of making music as Sumerian Records, more recently expanding into film, published media, and graphic novels under the banner of Sumerian Comics. Founded by Ash Avildsen, Sumerian Records has earned Grammy nominations and top charting hits. Musicians on the Sumerian label include: Bad Omens, Poppy, Palaye Royale, Des Rocs, Bones UK, and The Smashing Pumpkins. Sumerian Pictures will theatrically release the upcoming romantic comedy, MILE END KICKS, directed by Chandler Levack and starring Barbie Ferreira. Sumerian Pictures recent theatrical releases include QUEEN OF THE RING, starring Emily Bett Rickards, Josh Lucas, and Walton Goggins; DIVINITY, which premiered at Sundance and was executive produced by Steven Soderbergh; and TURNSTILE: NEVER ENOUGH, which premiered at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival. In addition to founding Sumerian, Avildsen is a filmmaker, most recently writing, directing, and producing QUEEN OF THE RING.
LILLIAN CARRIER (Margarita)
Lillian Carrier is an autistic actress and advocate from Los Angeles, best known for her breakout role in Freeform’s Everything’s Gonna Be Okay. Cast alongside her real-life service dog, Luke, Lillian brought a powerful and authentic perspective to the screen, earning acclaim for her portrayal of Drea.
She went on to appear in Jason Katims’ Amazon series As We See It, in a neurotypical role—a bold and intentional move by the production to cast autistic actors in diverse characters and challenge industry norms.
In 2025, Lillian stars in her first leading film role in HorseGirls, premiering at the Tribeca Film Festival. Directed by Lauren Meyering and co-starring Tony Hale and Gretchen Mol, the film follows Margarita, an autistic 22-year-old who finds unlikely belonging in a quirky community of hobby horse riders. Lillian was the first actor cast and joined the project through a traditional audition process. The film was shot in Portland, where she spent time connecting with the real people who inspired the story as well as her cast. Her sister, Chloe Carrier, served as Autism Sensitivity Coordinator, and producer Alex Plank was also brought on to contribute to the authentic of autistic storytelling.
Lillian also collaborates with Spectrum Laboratory, where she works and volunteers with neurodiverse artists and is collaborating on other projects.
Formerly the co-founder of OurTism—a nonprofit that ran for seven years—Lillian has long championed representation, empowerment, and visibility for the autistic community. Her performances are grounded in truth, humor, and emotional depth, driven by a mission to reshape how autistic stories are told.
Proofread and Edited by Brenda
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