Meet rising Star, Ali Gallo! You might have catch her in ‘Incoming’ or ‘The Sex lives of college girls.’ Ali is the leading actress of the  new dark comedy ‘I hate myself and want to die’ directed by the very talented J.Davis who had directed a little gem: ‘Manson Family Vacation’. Ali Gallo is the young ‘Hayley’ who, with other friends and family members, are trying to stop the very depressed ‘Jacob’, played by the excellent Mike Castle, from committing suicide. Ali Gallo shines on the screen per her suave performance and the depth of the emotions she conveys. For sure she has a long career in front of her. As for ‘I hate myself and want to die’ and its director J.Davis the future is also bright and full of appreciation. The success encountered at the Austin film festival last year was just the first sign of a great run at many more festivals in 2025.

I was lucky to catch up with Ali, who lives in Los Angeles, and is excited to come to Santa Barbara, especially after the exhausting fire disaster that sent a shock wave all over the city of the Angels.

Q: What attracted you to play ‘Hayley’ and how did it happen?

Ali: I knew I wanted to play that part the second I read the script. As soon as I read it, I sent it to my team who manages me. I loved this script so much and I understood this character from the second I read it. I know exactly who she is, and I knew

Q: Talking about a message, what is this film truly about? What are the themes and the messages this film conveys?

Ali: To me, difficult topics like suicide and mental health; things of 

that nature; I find I like to explore them through humor. It’s really an approachable way to talk about it. The message of the film, I hope people get from it, is that life is worth living at the end of the day. And we all have something that’s worth living for. There is something for everybody.

Q: What were the challenges you faced making this film?

Ali: The hardest part was the weather. We had the craziest weather for California: it snowed! And it never snows. On top of this we were shooting mainly at night, so it was freezing. It was physically challenging and exhausting. And I was wearing that little dress, so you can imagine how tough this filming was. And I even got very sick at the end of the shooting. Also, there is the pressure of making a small independent movie. There is less room for error. It’s not like we can call the Studio, and we can get extra days and extra money. Or if it rains the Studio can put us on a soundstage. We didn’t have that luxury to get help. So, everybody had to work together very well. It’s a small crew and every person there is very important. Everything they do contribute and affect the whole production. But I love making independent movies because you feel you are part of an intimate family.

Q: What does the Santa Barbara film festival represent to you and what are your expectations?

Ali: I have never been to the Santa Barbara film festival so I’m not sure what to expect. But I’m excited about coming to this festival because I heard great things about it from friends who had been there. It’s all about sharing the film with an audience. I couldn’t go to the screening in Austin; therefore, I’m looking forward to coming to Santa Barbara and share the experience with an audience. Any time you get some recognition for you work it feels special because we put our heart and soul in this work.

Q: What is the takeaway with this film? What type of conversations you hope this film trigger?

Ali: I hope it encourages a positive message like life is worth living. The people in your life are grateful to have you even if you don’t know it. I hope it encourages more of that tone of movies: dark comedies. It’s one of my favorite genres. And I think we have seen a decline in the making of comedies, dark comedies. There are not so many comedies