Nickey van Tooren Turns Up the Tension in ‘Caller You’re on the Air’

Nickey van Tooren leans into suspense with striking precision in Caller You’re on the Air, a tightly wound horror-thriller that transforms a familiar setting into something far more unsettling.

Set on Halloween night, the film follows DJ Lex on the Decks, played by van Tooren, as a routine live broadcast spirals into a chilling confrontation. When a mysterious caller threatens her life mid-show, the question becomes immediate and urgent, is it just a prank, or something far more dangerous?

Directed and written by Bryan “Bubba” Perez, the project strips the genre down to its essentials, relying on atmosphere, performance, and psychological tension rather than spectacle. And at the center of it all is van Tooren, delivering a performance that thrives on nuance. Filmed inside a fully operational DJ booth in North Hollywood, the production placed the actress in an environment that was both immersive and restrictive, an ideal combination for the kind of close-up, performance-driven storytelling the film demands.

“Because the camera stayed so tight on me, I had the opportunity to really focus on subtle shifts,” van Tooren explains. “It became about the eyes, the breath, the smallest reactions, while still maintaining this big, theatrical DJ persona.”

That duality, controlled performance layered over rising internal panic, plays directly into van Tooren’s strengths. Known for her meticulous preparation and interest in psychologically complex characters, she approached Lex not just as a performer on air, but as a woman navigating fear in real time.

The confined space of the booth, however, presented its own set of challenges. With sound equipment and crew in close proximity, physical movement was limited, forcing the performance to live almost entirely within a tight frame.

“It’s an interesting adjustment,” she notes. “You’re grounded physically, but emotionally everything has to expand.”

Despite the intensity of the setup, the production carried a lighter energy behind the scenes. Without room for traditional on-set catering, the cast and crew ventured out between takes, turning a simple lunch break into a memorable first.

“I tried Denny’s for the first time,” she laughs. “I’m officially a fan now.”

While Caller You’re on the Air may not be heading to the festival circuit, the project reflects a continued evolution in van Tooren’s career, one defined by versatility and a willingness to explore different genres and formats. From emotionally driven dramas to contained thrillers, she is steadily building a body of work that highlights both range and intention.

Off screen, that same creative drive continues to expand. A writer and storyteller in her own right, van Tooren is actively developing new material, with upcoming projects including the short film The Mattress, currently in pre-production, and a music video titled Her Eyes. She is also setting her sights on larger-scale opportunities, with ambitions to land a major commercial campaign and step into a feature film role. It’s all part of a broader trajectory for an artist who refuses to stay in one lane. A bilingual performer who has lived across four countries, van Tooren brings a global perspective to her work, alongside a growing list of creative pursuits that include music, writing, and modeling.

But it’s her perspective as an international actor navigating Hollywood that is beginning to define her voice just as much as her performances. As someone who can seamlessly step into American roles, van Tooren sees her multicultural upbringing as a creative advantage rather than a limitation.

“I want to blend my alternative upbringing with American roles,” she says. “Having experienced so many different cultures gives me an understanding of people and characters that not everyone has.”

That awareness extends into how she views the industry at large. At a time when Hollywood continues to push for greater inclusivity and authentic representation, van Tooren is clear about the kind of impact she hopes to make.

“I’m a huge advocate for inclusive casting,” she explains. “As a lesbian who sometimes presents as more masculine, I want to represent a version of queerness that hasn’t always been seen on screen. Not every story fits into one box, and I want to help show what real representation looks like.”

Her ambitions reflect that same intention, with a clear vision for the kinds of roles she hopes to take on next.

“My dream role is an openly gay lead character whose story goes far beyond her sexuality,” she says. “I want to normalize that representation, to tell stories that are emotionally rich, complex, and still accessible.”

It’s a mindset that places her within a new generation of actors reshaping the narrative, not just by participating in it, but by redefining what it looks like. And if she were to look back for inspiration, it’s a classic Hollywood icon who comes to mind.

“Audrey Hepburn,” she says. “She came from a multicultural background and built an incredible career through dedication to her craft. That’s something I really connect with and aspire to build on in a modern way.”

With Caller You’re on the Air, and a growing slate of projects ahead, Nickey van Tooren is doing exactly that, carving out a space that feels entirely her own, one performance at a time.