Poster by Nick Nguyen
Audio By Carbonatix
Physical perfection is a dangerous illusion. Chasing it can carve hollow spaces into a person’s identity, leaving them desperate for the next digital hit of validation. This dark descent sits at the bleeding heart of “Looksmaxxing,” a new body-horror short film tearing through social media feeds.
Looksmaxxing, a term that originated on mid-2010s incel forums, has emerged into the mainstream, mostly by way of hypermasculine TikTokkers who will go to extreme lengths to maximize their attractiveness. Controversial techniques to achieve the peak masculine form include cosmetic surgery, anabolic steroids and appetite suppressants. With over 1.4 million views and massive engagement online, the film holds a terrifying mirror up to an internet subculture obsessed with extreme cosmetic upgrades and jawline myths.
One of the stars at the center of the viral short is North Texas-based Jerry Habibi. The 29-year-old first-generation Iranian-American actor, producer and music artist operates far from the manicured lawns of Hollywood. Instead, he orchestrates his rising career from his home in Dallas-Fort Worth. After a breakout role in the acclaimed 2023 Sundance hit The Persian Version, Habibi is now making waves alongside Sunny Suljic (Mid90s) in a project that proves you do not need a Los Angeles zip code to capture the global zeitgeist.
Staring Down the Mirror
Directed and produced by Elan Alexander, “Looksmaxxing” follows a dopamine-depleted young man who joins an online forum promising a better life through physical perfection, only to spiral into destruction. It’s a razor-sharp commentary on modern insecurities, wrapped in a visceral body horror package.
The internet response has been electric — the teaser trailer generated massive buzz, drawing comparisons to Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance. Expectedly, the film has drawn national headlines and no shortage of angry comment threads. Critics call the real-world movement toxic, a breeding ground for insecurity and self-harm. Some see it simply as modern self-improvement, while others argue it’s a black hole of harmful comparison and digital dysmorphia, particularly for vulnerable young men bombarded by unrealistic ideals, peer pressure and monetized body shame.
Shima Neamati
For Habibi, the theme of physical transformation hits close to home.
“I started puberty at like 14 and had the face of a 14 and 30-year-old at the same time,” Habibi tells the Observer. He jokes that he was participating in “looksmaxxing” before it had a dark internet label. “I feel like I was doing looksmaxxing stuff in the form of a face massage, and I’ve been going to the gym since the third grade.”
But his involvement in the short film goes far beyond acting. Habibi served as a second-unit producer, rolling up his sleeves to bring the grim digital world to life.
“The footage you’re seeing – the webcam and digital camera stuff – that was all literally shot from my room,” he reveals. He also handled his own dubbing from his home studio, while his relationship with the prominent independent source FilmUpdates drove a marketing push on X.
Finding Solitude in the Suburbs
Dallas pulses with a quiet, sprawling creative energy. While it might not boast the immediate cinematic prestige of New York or Los Angeles, it builds resilient artists. Habibi understands this perfectly. He spent his formative years moving across North Texas, calling Allen, Plano and Frisco home. His childhood came with profound early tragedy — he lost his father just a month before his first birthday. Growing up, he navigated the vast Texas landscape with a sharp sense of observation. Today, he embraces the space the suburbs provide.
“Most of my friends don’t live in Dallas anymore,” Habibi says. “I feel like I have a lot of time to myself to work on my craft and be in solitude.”
That solitude breeds a distinct kind of Texas hustle.
“Dallas throws out a lot of good artists and actors,” he says, pointing to massive local exports like Post Malone and Demi Lovato. “People from Dallas can get their hands into more things.”
Shattering the Scarcity Mindset
If there’s one thing Habibi despises about the entertainment industry, it’s the pervasive sense of panic. He looks at former Disney Channel stars from his early acting schools who expected the corporate machine to do the heavy lifting, only to burn out when the machine stopped moving.
“I think actors don’t understand that they possess the ability to do their own press or be able to say, ‘I can act’ or ‘I’m an actor-producer,'” he says.
Furthermore, he actively fights against the fierce, competitive jealousy that ruins so many creative communities.
“A lot of actors have this scarcity mindset,” he says. “It always has to be about me, me, me.”
Habibi operates on a different frequency. He wants to champion and elevate the projects he works on. By throwing his weight behind indie projects like “Looksmaxxing” and leaning into grassroots social media marketing, he bypasses the traditional gatekeepers completely, a testament to the power of staying grounded. He proves that you can help run a viral marketing campaign, star alongside industry heavyweights and produce cutting-edge body horror — all while remaining fiercely loyal to your roots.
Hollywood might be obsessed with the next big aesthetic upgrade, but Habibi knows the real secret to longevity. You do not need to max out your looks to capture the world’s attention. You just need a strong voice, a quiet room to work and the relentless drive to build something true to yourself.
“Looksmaxxing” premiered on Tuesday, April 28, in Los Angeles. Habibi is hopeful for a local debut at a Dallas-area film festival in the near future.
