Dylan O’Brien Writes and Raps Nude for River Gallo’s ‘Ponyboi’

Dylan O’Brien is making headlines for his bold role in the new thriller Ponyboi, set in early-2000s New Jersey. O’Brien, famous for Maze Runner and Teen Wolf, plays Vinnie, a drug dealer with dreams of becoming a rapper.

One standout scene features him naked, delivering his own awkward, funny rap immediately after sleeping with Ponyboi, played by River Gallo. O’Brien not only performed the scene nude but also wrote Vinnie’s rhymes himself after the script simply read, “Bad rap goes here.”

Gallo, who also wrote and directed the movie, fully supported O’Brien’s creative choices. They praised him for making the scene feel real and hilarious — especially the memorable shot showing off his “butt cheek,” which O’Brien suggested for comic effect.

Beyond the laughs, Ponyboi is a significant film for queer representation, as Gallo is the first openly intersex star and screenwriter telling a deeply personal story. The film hits theaters Friday.