The Dreamer's Pen

I’ve always loved the theater scene with Laney in She’s All That. Even though it’s a little silly, I actually feel energized watching her and the other actors express themselves so freely. She’s fully in her own world, doing her art her way, and it’s so INFJ. Intense, creative, and completely authentic. And yeah, she’s misunderstood, which is exactly the INFJ experience so often.

Zack, on the other hand, is a total ESFJ. He’s all about popularity, status, and appearances.

All of which is perfectly symbolized in his hacky sack scene. Everything about that moment screams “I want to be perfect, popular, admired, and in control.” ESFJs care so much about how they’re perceived, and Zack’s hacky sack skills are literally a performance of his desire to be liked and respected by everyone. He doesn’t get Laney’s theater scene at first because it’s messy, emotional, and outside of his structured, socially approved world.

What I don’t like about this movie, though, is how Zack and his friends try so hard to turn Laney into someone she’s not. They want her to fit into the ESFJ world. Popular, polished, and predictable, rather than letting her just be herself. That’s the tension that makes the movie interesting, but also a little frustrating.

Laney doesn’t need that. She’s already amazing exactly as she is.

That theater scene really reminds me why I adore her. She’s unapologetically herself, brilliant even when misunderstood, and watching her reminds me how refreshing it is when someone just owns their own unique voice.