Camila Mendes explains how she became a reality TV producer for the big screen

Camila Mendes has revealed the shows she binged to prepare for her latest role as a reality TV producer in Idiotka.

The 31-year-old actress told People at the film's New York premiere that she turned to Project Runway and HBO’s streetwear competition The Hype to understand the tone and dynamics of the reality TV world. 

“We’re the cutting edge of reality TV,” Mendes said. “Like, we're trying to do things differently, and that also felt very in line with Nicol’s character.”

She also spoke with former contestants of fashion competition shows, learning how producers often shift from being supportive to manipulative. 

“That was a very helpful perspective to have,” Mendes explained. “So then I wanted to get on the other side and think, if I were a producer taking my work seriously, what would that look like?”

In Idiotka, Mendes plays Nicol Garcia, a reality TV producer who uplifts a struggling designer, Margarita (Anna Baryshnikov), while employing subtle manipulation to guide her success. Mendes described her approach to the character: “I was kind of grounding her manipulation in a place that felt honest and well-intentioned.”

Mendes also shared the joys of filming, including working with friends like Benito Skinner and Julia Fox, whose improvised antics, such as storming off in her underwear, made the set hilarious. “It’s an iconic moment, and it makes me burst out laughing every time,” Mendes said.

Idiotka hits theaters on Friday, February 27, 2026.