If you haven’t watched Step by Step on the Super Punchy app, you’re missing out. The viral vertical film stars Seth Edeen and Nicole Mattox and is directed by Salvador Paskowitz. The forbidden romance follows polar opposites Piper and Parker, whose lives are turned upside down when their parents get engaged and move them into the same house for two weeks.
I know the step-sibling trope is one that many people immediately take issue with, but that’s not really what this film is about. Yes, the trope exists, and the implications are there, but Step by Step approaches it through emotional complexity rather than shock value. The story focuses on flawed people navigating stigma, vulnerability, loneliness, desire, fear, and the possibility of happiness while risking heartbreak. It isn’t about scandal—it’s about connection.
Since the launch of both the Super Punchy app and the film itself, Step by Step has received a great deal of attention. Part of that is due to the strength of the story, but a significant part of it comes from the cast. Having micro-drama heavyweights Seth Edeen and Nicole Mattox leading the project certainly didn’t hurt. They’re joined by Molly Anderson and Haley Lohrli, helping create a cast that audiences were eager to watch from the moment the project was announced.
When speaking with screenwriter and director Salvador Paskowitz, we asked why he chose to launch the app’s first film with Edeen and Mattox in the lead roles.
As it turns out, the story behind that decision is pretty interesting.
Paskowitz explained the connection that led him to work with Mattox, sharing a story that goes far beyond Step by Step.
He said, “Well, first of all, Nicole is a friend and we have a very, very interesting, crazy, interesting history. So I have a project that is with Apple right now and we’re looking for a director and the project is called Morgan’s Wonderland. And it’s this place in San Antonio that the father of a special needs daughter, who she had been teased one day at a pool playing pool basketball. He said, ‘I’m going to build a theme park for my daughter, my special needs daughter.’ And he did. He got together $400 million.”
Paskowitz then continued by describing how his visit to Morgan’s Wonderland introduced him to someone who had a major impact on the project.
“He built Morgan’s Wonderland for his daughter, Morgan. It’s incredible. I heard about it, the two producers who had me read, see images and articles. I said, guys, ‘I’m your guy.’ I’m writing this movie. I’m so incredibly moved by it. So I met out when I went to Morgan’s Wonderland in San Antonio, I met this wonderful, wonderful woman who handles their media and they’ve got a big media presence and she was the most amazing person. Her spirit was just so like, ‘love what you’re doing with the script and it sounds good. I read a couple of pages. I’ve got these ideas. What do you think about these?’ She’s such a Southern belle. I’m like, these are great. This is amazing. So she was just an incredible, incredible person. Her name is Leslie.”
Paskowitz went on to explain how that connection eventually led him to meeting Mattox.
“And then added, ‘So a couple of months later, Leslie reached out to me and she said, “Hey, um, would you, uh, meet with my daughter? She is out in LA and she’s an actress and I would just love for you to give her any kind of advice on cinema and all that stuff.” So I took a Starbucks coffee meeting with her and there was this girl as lovely as her mom. She was just so charming, just an irrepressible spirit.’”
Sal went on to talk about directing a short film with Bradley Whitford and James Wolfe. While there wasn’t a role for Mattox in the project, she was willing to help in any way she could. According to Paskowitz, she “ran the set” and “was amazing.”
It would be another year before the two crossed paths again. When they did, Paskowitz had a question for her.
“Nicole, what are these vertical micro dramas that you have completely conquered?”
The two have been friends for quite some time, and Mattox’s talent makes it easy to understand why she was cast in Step by Step. But we were equally curious about Seth Edeen’s casting. His talent speaks for itself, yet we wanted to know how he became part of the project as well.
Paskowitz explained that Mattox played a key role in helping him assemble the cast for Step by Step.
“Well, I met that Nicole, and Nicole then started to cast the movie because it’s my first vertical,” he said. “So when I got into this brand-new situation of doing my first vertical, Step by Step, Nicole reached out and called her friends. She was like, ‘I’ve got Molly Anderson, I’ve got Haley Lorelei, and I’ve got Seth Edeen.’ And I was like, ‘Sounds good to me.’”
It’s such a good story – one that makes us believe in the power of friendship, chance meetings, and genuine connections.
And the power of one actress who knew what worked, gave her all, and had her friends back without hesitation.
Step by Step is streaming now on the Super Punchy app.
