Sci-Fi Thriller Model Citizen's Themes & Ending Explained By Star Emmanuelle Chriqui

Published Nov 3, 2026, 5:52 PM EST As a graduate of Columbia University in New York City, Tatiana studied theater and comparative literature. She has been passionate about all manner of storytelling from Jane Austen adaptations to anime. Aside from writing for Screen Rant, she co-hosts podcasts: The Flash Podcast and Ladies With Gumption. The question of who one is without their memories has fascinated philosophers since the dawn of recorded history, and the psychological sci-fi thriller Model Citizen is the latest piece of media to tackle it. Starring The Dark Knight's Aaron Eckhart and Entourage's Emmanuelle Chriqui, the movie follows ex-cop Steven Bay (Eckhart), who is suffering from amnesia while living in near isolation. He is introduced to kindly veterinarian Gretchen Lowe (Chriqui), who knows far more than she lets on. In fact, it is soon revealed that Steven is (unbeknownst to himself) part of a top-secret experiment meant to rehabilitate people by extracting their memories, and Gretchen is fully aware of his real identity. But a dynamic built on a lie does not necessarily negate the potential of a true connection, and soon Gretchen feels herself torn between her superiors' plans and her conscience. ScreenRant interviewed Chriqui about the ins and outs of her mysterious character in Model Citizen, as well as her connection with Eckhart's beleaguered protagonist. The actor also gave her interpretation of the sci-fi thriller's final scene, addressing the potential for a sequel in the process. ScreenRant: When Gretchen is first introduced to Steven, he is not doing so hot. What is her impression of him? Emmanuelle Chriqui: Without giving too much away, I am basically not surprised by who I meet and the state that he's in, because I am in on this government experiment. That's on the surface, but I think there's also the question of: Is there a vibe, and is that real? That's what we're asking, and a little bit of what we're playing. ScreenRant: Speaking of the vibe, what is it like playing a dynamic opposite Aaron, especially when the audience is meant to question your sincerity? Emmanuelle Chriqui: Working opposite Aaron, would bring the best out of any actor. He really elevates everything and everyone. It was such a joy to work with him, and there's a reason he has had this career that he has had. Every time we got to share the space together, it was always a really cool, creative flow where we could just discuss what's happening and what the highest good for the scene is. Other than just being amazing, he's also really smart, so it was just a wild ride to work with him. It was awesome. ScreenRant: We know very little about Gretchen going into the movie. What did you and Tag Mendillo discuss about her role in Steven’s situation and her life outside it? Emmanuelle Chriqui: It was insinuated that she had a Harvard PhD, so she was a really, really smart girl. I was really painting the backstory for myself just so that it could give it some color. And the fact is, she was smart enough to get roped into this government experiment working with these people, but also smart enough to know when things were really starting to look shady. I think, as far as the backstory and all of that, I was so invested in this experiment because if it works, this could revolutionize things. Her point of view of it was a really positive one, but I had to definitely get clear about that. ScreenRant: When you first read the script or heard about the project, what were you most excited to tackle as an actor? Emmanuelle Chriqui: When I first read the script, I literally had to read it again because it was a lot to take in. We can loosely compare this to, say, Memento, where we're tackling really big ideas of who you are without your memories, and whether you can fundamentally change who you are. I felt like I had to read it again to make sure that I fully understood everything! Needless to say, I thought Gretchen was such a great character to tackle because she's so layered. She's so nuanced, and what you see is not what you get. That was really fun to approach. Emmanuelle Chriqui Breaks Down The Ending Of Model Citizen ScreenRant: Spoiler question: You mentioned the question of sincerity. At what point do you feel your character goes from the task at hand to really caring for Steven as an individual? What is it about him that draws her in? Emmanuelle Chriqui: I think the moment that it really does click for her is at the bar, where she says to the doctor, "This was too much. It was out of control." That's when she starts to be aware in a different way. There have been a few red flags, but this was a big one. She starts being really protective of Steven, and from that comes this tender energy between them. He can be vulnerable with her, and and and that and it stems from just really wanting to help him and like really wanting him to get better, you know. And then it kind of comes from there, ScreenRant: The ending leaves you on a bleak yet ambiguous final note. We don't know what happens, and we don't know what Steven's going to do. Is that something you hope to revisit? How is your character handling her situation? Emmanuelle Chriqui: Yes. I think it's really cool, because of what could potentially happen. If there were a sequel, she would be where he was, and after everything that he's lived through, perhaps he would be the one to save her and take down this system once and for all. That would be really cool. ScreenRant: Outside of Model Citizen, I loved you in Superman & Lois. Would you be interested in exploring another DC role in the new DCU? Emmanuelle Chriqui: I would never say no. I think it was an incredible experience, and it was a very surprising one for me. I had never been a comic book person. I was never into the DC or Marvel universe, but I'm beyond grateful that I was able to do Superman & Lois, and in particular play Lana Lang. I think that was such a cool thing. But what really attracted me to the show was the fact that Todd Helbing, our creator, was so protective of what he wanted it to be. It had so much integrity. Todd was like, "I just want to make the extraordinary seem ordinary, so that people can relate." And I agree with that. His vision, in particular, is what drew me in. But, you know what? I would never say never. I think it is just on a case-by-case basis, like, "Let's read the script and see what resonates." Model Citizen is now available on Digital platforms and will be released on DVD on November 17. Release Date November 3, 2026 Runtime 93 Minutes Writers Ian Arnison-Phillips Producers Darren R.L. Gordon Cast