The Movie You Didn't Know Bryce Hall Was In
Fans can't seem to get enough of Bryce Hall! The controversial American internet personality has found much success and fame with his TikTok and YouTube videos, as his TikTok account boasts over 20 million followers and his YouTube channel rakes in more than 3.6 million subscribers as of this writing.
With such a massive follower base actively watching his content, Hall finds himself in a popular fan club, making a fortune out of that popularity. Best of all? He's laughing his way to the bank. "[C]oming up from social media, and blowing up on TikTok, there was a business strategy behind that. But no one saw that. They just saw me as the problematic kid on the Internet who throws parties," the vlogger told Forbes in an October 2020 interview.
Of course, with success often comes controversy. And the influencer has already has had his share fair, like when he faced criminal charges for allegedly hosting big parties during the height of COVID-19, USA TODAY reported. But despite these issues, he still finds himself as a centerpiece of attention and even made an appearance in a critically acclaimed movie. So, what was that film? Keep on reading to find out.
Bryce Hall's documentary debut was rife with drama
Some fans might not know Bryce Hall was featured in the Hulu documentary "Jawline." The 2019 film, directed by Liza Mandelup, mostly follows the life of teenager Austyn Tester, a Tennessee native who aspires to be as popular as Hall and others, complete with a dream move to Los Angeles. Through the lens of Tester's ambitions, Mandelup explores the TikTok community at large, for better or worse.
As for Hall's involvement, his story was largely connected to his then-talent manager Michael Weist, who also managed TikToker Mikey Barone. "By 19 he [Weist] was already one of the most successful managers in the social media space, steering the careers of YouTubers with millions of followers," a Los Angles Times profile explained. But there was tension between the brief glimpses of Hall and Weist, as Insider detailed: "Hall was shown collaborating with other rising creators on dance videos and sponsored posts, which he was portrayed as reluctant to do without Weist's stern guidance." Later in the doc, it's revealed Hall and Barone had a contentious falling out with Weist, with both TikTokers falsely accusing their former manager of sexual assault, Refinery29 reported. They also claimed Weist hacked their Twitter accounts.
Weist made accusations, too, claiming Hall allegedly threatened his grandma, per Refinery29. Messy!
Inside Bryce Hall's public apology
Michael Weist refuted the allegations against him, filing defamation lawsuits against Bryce Hall and Mikey Barone. The 2018 lawsuit took place before the Hulu documentary was released, and per Refinery29, the parties reached a private settlement. Hall also tweeted, "I made some harsh statements about Michael and regret making those statements, including any suggestion of sexual assault." He added, "I am sorry for what happened and I am glad it is over."
Weist seemingly is not worried about no longer having Hall and Barone as clients, as he has a matter-of-fact take philosophy about social media fame. "Finding someone who looks cute on Instagram and gaining them a million followers is so easy to do," he said in the documentary, according to Refinery29. "What happens when they're 30? Because when they're not cute, and those little girls are no longer 13 and they don't care, it's game over." Weist continued, "There's no longevity behind it. Once they're gone, I'll find someone else to manage their career and take those profits as well."
Drama aside, what's next for Hall's film career? As of this writing, that remains to be seen.