In 2018, Son was approached by director
Sean Baker outside a screening of
Gus Van Sant's ''
Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot at the Arclight Hollywood Cinema. Baker asked her to audition for his upcoming film but did not call her back for two years. The film, Red Rocket'', was released in 2021 and features Son as a 17-year-old girl in East Texas who gets into a relationship with a former porn star, played by
Simon Rex. The film was her first feature role; before that, Son had appeared in a "risqué" low-budget short film. Son was nominated for a Gotham Award for
Best Breakthrough Performer and an Independent Spirit Award for
Best Supporting Actress for the role. Son has also released music recordings, chiefly through uploads to her
YouTube channel. When Baker learned that she taught piano, he wrote a scene for her in the film in which she sings a slow
ballad cover version of the
NSYNC song "
Bye Bye Bye". Son also performed an original song in case they were unable to secure the rights to the song, but all five members of NSYNC approved of the cover. Son's version was released on various music streaming services to promote the film. In November 2021, Son joined the cast of the
HBO music-industry drama series
The Idol opposite
The Weeknd and
Lily-Rose Depp. On April 27, 2022,
Deadline reported that she was one of the cast members not expected to return after a forced hiatus, due to a change in the show's creative direction, although Son appeared in the
teaser trailer released on August 21, 2022. On March 1, 2023,
Rolling Stone reported that Son remained in the cast despite the overhaul, but the show was canceled in August 2023. In March 2024, Son was announced to be a starring character in the Netflix horror film
Fear Street: Prom Queen. In 2025, Son portrayed Adeline Watkins in
Monster: The Ed Gein Story alongside
Charlie Hunnam as
Ed Gein. ==Personal life==