Frat rules. Bad pledges. And a pledge dad who does not mess around. Director Jessica Jasmin takes the wild world of Pledge Daddy and turns it into a full-on feast of power plays and dangerously charged moments.
With DOME’s most rebellious pledges causing chaos, Jasmin keeps the tension tight, the pacing sharp, and the cast locked in. She’s got an eye for the little things—the glance that lingers too long, the smile that says you’re in trouble, the silence that’s just begging to be broken.
We sat down with her to talk about steering a frat fantasy this intense, the on-set moments that had everyone buzzing, and how she got the cast to deliver scenes you feel as much as you watch.
The film explores hierarchy, loyalty, and power within a fraternity setting. What drew you to this particular story?
It’s not a world I’ve experienced myself, and I just find it fascinating. There are so many layers to Greek life, and I had a lot of fun diving into that during my research. It also helps that the subject really resonates with ASGMax fans, they love this kind of content!
How did you approach balancing the playful, fun side of fraternity life with the more intense themes of control and conformity?
Mostly through how the characters interact. Cooper and Reed are the new pledges..fun guys just enjoying the ride. On the other hand, Brody and James are part of the legacy, the ones trying to keep control for their own gain. That contrast creates a lot of tension.
Bennett Sutherland, the pledge dad, is a fascinating character—charming but commanding. How did you and the actor work together to develop that duality?
The charm part was easy, Johnny Donovan brings that naturally. But for Bennett, it was about getting into the headspace of someone who’s pretending to be something he’s not. I don’t think he truly wants to be there. He wants the status that comes with it. Maybe he has a dad pushing him to be his best, and at the same time, Brody is threatening him behind the scenes. Bennett doesn’t really have control over the pledges, and that pressure is stressing him out.
What do Cooper and Reed represent in this story? Were you trying to challenge or reinforce any specific stereotypes with them?
They represent the carefree side of fraternity life, just having fun, not taking anything too seriously. That’s why they don’t see Brody as a real threat at first. I wasn’t really trying to challenge stereotypes, just showing that side: being fresh out of high school, entering a new world, excited to take on new opportunities and not yet understanding the unspoken rules.
There’s a strong focus on male bonding and mentorship, both positive and problematic. How did you frame those dynamics through your directorial lens as a woman?
I drew from my own experiences. Yes, men and women can go through different things, but at the core, we all face the same types of challenges, it’s part of the human experience. We all run into similar personalities, no matter the gender. I pulled from my own life to show what it’s like to be part of a group, while still feeling like you don’t fully belong.
Fraternity culture can sometimes be criticized for its exclusivity or toxicity. Were you interested in commenting on that, or were you more focused on portraying a specific world without judgment?
I definitely wanted to touch on the toxic side of it, especially through the first two scenes. There have been so many bizarre and even dangerous hazing stories out there. I didn’t want to dive into the extreme or violent versions of that, but I did want to show how power starts to take shape in a college setting. It’s about the quiet ways peer pressure works and how far people are willing to go just to be accepted into a group. It’s less about judging the entire culture, and more about exposing how easily that pressure can take control.
There’s a lot of physicality and chemistry in the way the characters interact. How did you work with the actors to create that tension and authenticity?
Jayden was my main focus for character development. He’s great to work with, he understands the vibe of the role right away. He played the one who’s in control, so the other actors naturally followed his lead. For chemistry, I like to be loose with the sex scenes. I let the actors talk it through, decide what they want to do, even switch things up during the shoot. My role is just to follow their lead and help them get into each other.
James Fox serves as a kind of legacy figure in the fraternity. What role do you see legacy culture playing in the story—and perhaps in real life institutions too?
James and especially Brody represent legacy. This frat likely came from Brody’s father and then his grandfather before them. It’s about people who believe the old way is the only way, and everyone else must follow. That idea of legacy being a ticket to power…it’s everywhere in real life.
If there’s one moment or theme you hope viewers walk away thinking about, what is it?
First, I hope it turns them on, let’s be honest, that’s part of it! But underneath that, there’s a quiet message about class and privilege, and how early in life it can shape everything even if you don’t realize it.
Did you attend a college or university with Greek life, and if so, what was your perception of it at the time?
I did go to university, but Greek life isn’t that big where I’m from. I know some universities have fraternities, but I wasn’t involved in the social side. I love learning, but I hated the institution. I was more of a get-in, get-out type of student.
How do you think your college experience shaped your perspective on themes like group identity, peer pressure, or ambition—especially in how they appear in Pledge Daddy?
College didn’t really throw me into those kinds of group dynamics because I kept my head down and stayed out of the social scene. But that outsider perspective helped shape how I view group identity. I was someone who moved through spaces without ever fully feeling part of them and just watched. The pressure to conform, the ambition to stand out, and the way people shift to fit into hierarchies. I’ve seen that play out more in life than in school, and I brought that emotional truth into the film.
Do any characters or moments in the film reflect real people or situations you encountered during your own college years?
Not during college, but definitely in my adult life. Brody, Jayden’s character, is that guy we all know. The one who walks into a room with power handed to him. He gets what he wants because of his name, his connections, and the unspoken rules of privilege. I saw a lot of that in the mainstream film industry, people coasting on family legacy or status. And what stuck with me is that there’s rarely justice for it. Karma doesn’t show up. That’s what I like about Disruptive Films, we don’t tie things up with a bow. Sometimes the bad guy wins. It’s uncomfortable, but it’s honest.
If you had been a pledge mom instead of pledge dad, what kind of initiations would you have run?
Honestly, I’d probably be a boring pledge mom. I’m someone who looks out for others, so I’d do something without humiliation. Like, everyone dresses as their favorite character, but you have to make the costume yourself.
Did you see yourself more as a rule-follower or a rebel in college—and how does that influence the characters you’re drawn to?
I was super quiet and shy, with a lot of repressed trauma (thanks Dad!). I never spoke up, followed every rule. But once I started working and living on my own, I blossomed. I became this outspoken woman working in the adult industry, something teenage me could never have imagined. So now I’m drawn to the rebels, the ones who break the rules and take what they want. There’s power in that kind of freedom within limits, of course.
As a female director telling a story set in a hypermasculine world, what kind of creative opportunities—or challenges—did that offer you?
Working in an all-male world can be challenging, but it’s also super fun. I take inspiration from what I watch and the different types of men I had in my life. It’s really creative to imagine these kinds of worlds and people and then make them feel real, but still sexy.
Disruptive Films’ Pledge Daddy is streaming exclusively on ASGMax.