Materialists Is Based on Celine Song's Real Matchmaking Job

By The Backlot

@backlotfriends

A woman and a man clink glasses across a green velvet restaurant booth, both smiling warmly at each other in soft lamplight.

Celine Song worked as a high-end matchmaker in New York City for six months about a decade before directing this film. She took the job because she could not pay rent as a playwright and could not get the waitressing shifts other playwrights were landing.

"I learned more about human beings in those six months than I did in any other part of my life," she said. "They were willing to tell me their hearts' desires in a way that was so frank and objective."

When it came time to cast Materialists, she applied the same logic. "I go out like a matchmaker in search of the character's soulmate."

Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, and Chris Evans all have stage backgrounds. Song would not do it otherwise. The film opened June 2025 with no festival premiere and crossed $100 million worldwide.

Quick Facts

Materialists Is Based on Celine Song's Real Matchmaking Job

DirectorCeline Song

CastDakota Johnson, Chris Evans, Pedro Pascal, Zoë Winters, Marin Ireland

GenreRomance, Drama

Release2025-06-12

Runtime116 min

Rated6.3/10

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Celine Song worked as a real NYC matchmaker before making Materialists. Then she cast the film the same way. Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, Chris Evans. #Materialists #Backlot

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Song worked as a NYC matchmaker to pay rent as a playwright. "I learned more about human beings in those six months than any other part of my life." #Materialists #Backlot

When it came time to cast Materialists, she applied the same logic. "I go out like a matchmaker in search of the character's soulmate."

Dakota Johnson, Pedro Pascal, and Chris Evans all have stage backgrounds. Song would not do it otherwise. The film opened June 2025 with no festival premiere and crossed $100 million worldwide.