Actor Gabriel Basso, star of the Netflix series “The Night Agent,” warns that the modern reliance on social media creates a false sense of intimacy that replaces genuine human connection. Promoting his directorial debut, the psychological thriller “Iconoclast,” Basso argues that influencer culture encourages users to trade real-world relationships for controllable, one-sided online interactions.
Why Is Online Connection Considered an Illusion?
Social media platforms function as a window rather than a bridge, according to Basso. He told Fox News Digital at the 2026 Tribeca Festival that the energy on these platforms is rarely reciprocal, often leaving users feeling like voyeurs rather than participants. By observing the lives of influencers, users experience the psychological sensation of knowing someone without the unpredictability or vulnerability required for a real-world relationship.
This dynamic mirrors themes of parasocial relationships—a concept where an audience member develops a one-sided sense of attachment to a public figure. Basso suggests that this fixation, which he explores through his character Connor in “Iconoclast,” is becoming a significant driver of modern isolation.
A parasocial relationship involves a psychological bond where a person invests emotional energy and time into a media figure who is unaware of their existence, often leading to increased feelings of loneliness when the digital interaction ends.
How Does Influencer Culture Impact Personal Brands?
The pressure to maintain a personal brand online is contributing to widespread unhappiness, according to Basso. He argues that the influence of social media exists only because users collectively agree to assign it value. By choosing to step away or delete accounts, individuals can effectively break the cycle of digital validation.
Basso’s critique aligns with broader industry concerns regarding celebrity culture. Robert Downey Jr. has similarly criticized the state of modern celebrity, labeling the obsession with curated online personas as “absolute horseshit.” While Basso focuses on the psychological toll on the viewer, others in the industry, such as actress Maya Hawke, have highlighted that producers now often cast actors based strictly on their Instagram follower counts, further incentivizing the prioritization of digital metrics over traditional craft.
What Does the Future of Digital Interaction Look Like?
The trend of “digital minimalism” may become a reactive force against influencer worship. As Basso noted, many users already recognize that their time spent online does not lead to increased satisfaction. If the trend shifts toward valuing “uncontrollable” real-world connections, the cultural influence of curated feeds may diminish.
The film “Iconoclast,” co-starring Rain Spencer, serves as a narrative cautionary tale of this shift. Spencer described the project as “bleak” yet “hopeful,” highlighting the tension between the desire for digital proximity and the reality of physical isolation. As creators continue to explore these themes, the conversation around the sustainability of the “influencer economy” is likely to intensify.
| Perspective | Focus |
|---|---|
| Gabriel Basso | Psychological impact and the loss of genuine connection. |
| Maya Hawke | Professional impact and the commodification of social metrics. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a parasocial relationship?
It is a one-sided relationship where an individual extends emotional energy, interest, and time to a celebrity or influencer, while the other party remains unaware of the fan’s existence.
Why does Basso suggest deleting social media?
Basso argues that social media provides an “illusion” of connection that prevents people from forming real, unpredictable relationships, and that users can reclaim their time by refusing to participate in the digital economy.
What is “Iconoclast” about?
The film, directed by and starring Gabriel Basso, follows a lonely young man whose obsession with a live-streaming influencer leads to increasingly dark and unsettling consequences.
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