'The DUFF' Stars 'Arrested Development' Alumnus Mae Whitman as The ‘Designated Ugly Fat Friend’ in The New High School Romantic Comedy Flick

Lionsgate and CBS Films' The DUFF, a young adult romantic comedy film directed by Ari Sandel, is ready for showing in theaters beginning February 20. The screenplay was written by Josh A. Cagan based on the Kody Keplinger's best-selling debut novel of the same name.

Published in September 2010, 'The DUFF (Designated Ugly Fat Friend)' was written by Keplinger during her senior high school years at age 17. On what moved her to do the book, the author said: "I always felt like the 'ugly girl' in high school, so when I was introduced to the word during my senior year, I knew I was the Duff. The idea of writing a book with DUFF as the title started as a joke, but when I realized that my friends felt like Duffs, too, I knew I had to write this story!"

The movie adaptation of The DUFF follows the story of Bianca (played by Mae Whitman), a content high school senior whose world is shattered when she learns the student body knows her as 'The DUFF' (Designated Ugly Fat Friend) to her prettier, more popular friends Jess (Skylar Samuels) and Casey (Bianca A. Santos). Now, despite the words of caution from her favorite teacher (Ken Jeong), she puts aside the potential distraction of her crush, Toby (played by Nick Eversman), and enlists Wesley (Robbie Amell), a slick but charming jock, to help reinvent herself. To save her senior year from turning into a total disaster, Bianca must find the confidence to overthrow the school's ruthless label maker Madison (Bella Thorne) and remind everyone that no matter what people look or act like, we are all someone's DUFF.

The cast of The DUFF also includes Allison Janney, Romany Malco, Agnes Mayasari, Tony Cavalero, Benjamin Papac, Gabriela Fraile, Chris Wylde, and Mahaley Manning. Filming for the movie started in June and ended on July 9 last year.