Seb is one of the main characters in the 2025 sexual drama, Other People’s Bodies. The movie is a queer, loose retelling of the 1969 French New Wave classic, La Piscine. Seb is portrayed by A.J. Shively.
At a summer estate in upstate New York, former singer and programmer Seb and his wife, former ballerina Olivia (Annie Parisse), are facing a somber health diagnosis for Olivia, which prompts her to reach out to Mateo (McKinley Belcher III), a choreographer and retired dancer whom the couple has not been able to reach for eight years. As the weekend unfolds, it covers themes of queer desires, relationships, and regrets.
As the story unfolds, we see that Seb is attracted to both men and women and learn of his past exploits with them. We soon learn that Seb dated Mateo after he came to choreograph a queer opera, after Mateo had a knee injury. When Olivia came back from a dancing tour, and Mateo took her to see Seb sing, Seb and Olivia fell for each other (breaking Mateo’s heart, leading to their estrangement) and got married. We see Seb flirting with Olivia in an early scene while she is applying sunblock to his back, asking her to move her hands lower. There is tension when Mateo shows up (later explained when we learn of the trio’s past with each other), but we also learn that Seb’s attraction to Mateo was not a one-off thing towards men. In a pair of scenes, we see Mateo’s new boyfriend, Zaki (Jasai Chase Owens), make a pass at Seb, including giving him a bracelet. Though Seb seems tempted, he ultimately gives the bracelet back within seconds. But in a later scene running in the forest, Seb is overheating and thinks he is having a heart attack. Zaki places his hand on Seb’s chest and declares his heart is fine, then puts Seb’s hand on his own chest. This time Seb does not pull away. Later on, they are seen returning to the home very sweaty and searching for water, but it is unclear if they hooked up.
Seb is not solely defined by his attractions, though (or his potential stepping out on his partners). He is a talented singer and programmer, and is a dedicated lover to his wife. He is also an excellent caretaker for her and a medical advocate, as they together navigate whether she is about to receive a multiple sclerosis diagnosis.
For all the betrayals and desires on display, Seb ultimately dissolves the tension during a heated fight with Mateo in the pool, owning that he broke Mateo’s heart and apologizing for hurting him. The final scene includes all of the characters joyfully dancing together.
Seb, as a character, is an exploration of a modern bi man’s desires, complications, and relationships. He is imperfect and at times mysterious, but not without his strengths.