‘Sugar’ tells the story of Quebec’s ‘Cocaine Cowgirls’

Jasmine Sky Sarin knows a thing or two about social media. That’s why the script for “Sugar” hit home when she read it.

In “Sugar,” two young influencers named Melanie and Chloe are coaxed into a vacation on a luxury cruise ship, but the dream trip turns into a nightmare. And yet, despite becoming entangled in a deadly drug smuggling operation on board the boat, the pair continue to snap photos of their exotic getaway, letting their fans continue to see them having fun instead of accurately depicting the precarious position they were in.

The new Prime Video film was inspired by a true story. In 2017, Quebec’s Isabelle Lagacé pleaded guilty to smuggling 30 kilograms of cocaine into Australia and was sentenced to 71/2 years in prison. A year later, her cohort Melina Roberge also pleaded guilty to smuggling 95 kilograms of narcotics into the continent and was sentenced to eight years behind bars.

Because of their popularity on social media coupled with their good looks, Lagacé and Roberge were often referred to as the “Cocaine Cowgirls” (a nod to the “Cocaine Cowboys” who presided over Miami’s drug scene in the 1980s).

Sarin, 23, plays Melanie in the movie. It’s a role that resonated with the Vancouver-born actor, who also dabbled as an influencer on social media before taking up acting full-time.

Despite being inactive for the past three years, Sarin still boasts more than 70,000 followers on Instagram. She also has nearly 90,000 subscribers on her YouTube channel, an account she started when she was only 12 before ditching it to pursue her Hollywood dreams.

“I grew up online in a sense,” she said in an interview. “I got to see the influencer side of the community whereas Melanie is on the other side. She wants to be a part of it.”

Kansas City-born Katherine McNamara plays Chloe and said that the social media component is what ultimately makes the story relatable.

“What may seem like the best day in someone’s life on social media could actually be their worst and you might never know,” McNamara said.

Perhaps best known for her work on “Shadowhunters,” the 26-year-old actor has had a largely positive experience with her own social media but said it also has its share of pitfalls.

“I’ve seen social media be used as a connective tissue to create a global community, but I am very aware that there’s the dark side of it too if you let it overtake your life in the wrong way.”

It’s something Sarin paid particular attention to back when she was more active online.

“Even when I had a YouTube channel, I was careful about not showing exactly where I lived. I was so young and I do think you need to be mindful of that. I’ve dealt with some weird people in my day online.”

Both actors admitted to not knowing much about the events that inspired the “Sugar” screenplay before taking on their respective roles. That said, they also believe the story is strong enough that even those who don’t know about the drug bust, one of the biggest in Australian history, will be interested enough to tune in.

“I would love for people to see these two women learn that the grass is not always greener, and what you want may be more complicated than it seems on the surface and may not be what you want after all,” McNamara said.

Despite not knowing the intricacies of the case, Sarin also said she thinks the story is relatable.

“I think the reason people were so invested is because it could happen to anyone. It’s definitely a cautionary tale in that sense. It’s a story about learning to not trust everybody and to trust the right people, but I think it’s also about trusting yourself and trusting your gut.”

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