DRIVE-AWAY DOLLS, the new comedy from Ethan Coen—one half of the Coen Brothers powerhouse directing duo—stars Margaret Qualley and Geraldine Viswanathan as two friends in 1990s Philadelphia who embark on a road trip and quickly get embroiled in an increasingly zany criminal plot.
While much of the movie focuses on Qualley and Viswanathan’s characters Marian and Jamie, Drive-Away Dolls also boasts a stellar supporting cast, including Pedro Pascal, Beanie Feldstein, Colman Domingo, and Matt Damon. Pop star Miley Cyrus even shows up in a surprise, uncredited cameo.
Spoilers follow.
In true crime caper fashion, Marian and Jamie find themselves in possession of a highly sought-after briefcase with contents that very powerful people are after. It turns out, the briefcase contains an assortment of plaster casts of different men’s penises, including that of Matt Damon’s Senator Channel.
In the movie, Miley Cyrus plays the creator of the phallic artwork, a hippie chick named Tiffany Plastercaster. But her character is based on a real-life artist and famous figure from the rock scene of the ’60s and ’70s.
Who was Cynthia Plaster Caster?
Cynthia Albritton, better known as Cynthia Plaster Caster, was a visual artist who became known for creating plaster sculptures of musicians’ penis during her time as a groupie. Albritton created a total of 50 casts from a wide array of rock stars and roadies including Jimi Hendrix, The Kinks drummer Bob Henrit, and Buzzcocks singer Pete Shelley.
In 2000, Albritton expanded her repertoire and began making plaster casts of female musicians’ breasts, including Yeah Yeah Yeahs frontwoman Karen O and provocateur Peaches.
Albritton died in 2022. Much of her work was exhibited in galleries, and following her death, her cast of Jimi Hendrix’s erect penis went on display in a museum.
Philip Ellis
Philip Ellis is News Editor at Men’s Health, covering fitness, pop culture, sex and relationships, and LGBTQ+ issues. His work has appeared in GQ, Teen Vogue, Man Repeller and MTV, and he is the author of Love & Other Scams.
