Casting features organic diversity for a 1980s Hollywood setting, including a Black queer-coded best friend (Moses Sumney as Leon) who supports the lead but is incidental to the plot's core slasher mechanics and Maxine's violent rise. Supporting roles like Halsey (queer actor as aspiring actress) add minor representation without narrative emphasis on identity politics.

Themes touch lightly on female exploitation and empowerment through Maxine (Mia Goth) as an unapologetic anti-hero who dispatches threats, but this aligns with classic horror tropes rather than modern social justice activism. No creator statements from Ti West emphasize DEI or inclusion mandates; interviews focus on stylistic homages and trilogy completion. Audience reception praises the entertainment value without notable backlash over 'wokeness,' confirming the film's neutral, apolitical entertainment-first approach.