FEBRUARY 3, 2021 | OSCAR PREVIEW
THE LOCKDOWN KIDS
HOW ZENDAYA , JOHN DAVID WASHINGTON AND DIRECTOR SAM LEVINSON MOUNTED MALCOLM & MARIE IN CHALLENGING TIMES, WEAVED THEIR CASSAVETES-STYLE CHARACTER DRAMA, AND TURNED AN INSTANT PROFIT FOR THEIR CREW
CHADWICK BOSEMAN FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES CELEBRATE THE LATE STAR
AS MA RAINEY’S BLACK BOTTOM AND DA 5 BLOODS BRING HIM INTO THE AWARDS RACE
ELLEN BURSTYN LOOKS BACK OVER AN EXTRAORDINARY CAREER MARIA BAKALOVA PLANS HER FUTURE IN HOLLYWOOD PLUS:
CHLOÉ ZHAO + AARON SORKIN + REGINA KING + GEORGE C. WOLFE + FLORIAN ZELLER + SHAKA KING
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FIRST TAKE Ellen Burstyn reflects on the storied career that led to Pieces of a Woman On My Screen: Tom Holland recalls his film and television favorites Chadwick Boseman: colleagues fondly remember a muchmissed talent Art of Craft: Designing a Western set for News of the World
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ON THE COVER How Sam Levinson, Zendaya and John David Washington cooked up a movie in a lockdown vacuum with Malcolm & Marie
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FEATURE Maria Bakalova had all but given up on her dreams of Hollywood success... But then Borat came to call
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DIALOGUE: DIRECTORS ChloĂŠ Zhao Aaron Sorkin Regina King George C. Wolfe Florian Zeller Shaka King ON THE COVER Zendaya, Sam Levinson and John David Washington photographed by Rahim Fortune and Matt Sayles ON THIS PAGE Maria Bakalova photographed by Michael Buckner
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| The animation race p. 20 | Remembering Chadwick Boseman p. 24
FORCE OF NATURE In Pieces of a Woman, Ellen Burstyn is a mother powering through life’s heartbreaks and disappointments. It’s a role that echoes the actress’ own indomitable spirit as she returns to the Oscar conversation once more. BY ANTONIA BLYTH
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D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
COU RT ESY OF N E TF L IX
Tom Holland’s onscreen favorites
“‘THE WAY BACK’ IS AFFLECK’S SHOW ALL THE WAY –
HE’S COMMANDING AND COMMITTED.” Stephen Schaefer,
“AFFLECK OWNS THE ROLE. HE PLAYS IT WITH THE SUBTLETY OF A CHARACTER ACTOR AND THE COILED FEROCITY OF THE STAR HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN.” Joe Morgenstern,
“BEN AFFLECK TRIUMPHS.” Kenneth Turan,
“AFFLECK DELIVERS JACK’S PAIN AND REMORSE
BEAUTIFULLY.” Ian Freer,
BEST ACTOR
BEN AFFLECK F
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TRAGEDY STRIKES Burstyn as Elizabeth in Pieces of a Woman, dealing with the aftermath of her baby grandchild’s death at birth.
An inspiring and indomitable spirit
of screenwriter Kata Wéber and her
with this situation, and you don’t allow it
partner, director Kornél Mundruczó, the
to just send you into the darkness.’”
film stars Burstyn in a supporting role
Acting was, Burstyn says, “always
as Elizabeth, mother to Vanessa Kirby’s
something that I could do.” But,
Martha, who has lost her baby in child-
although she was involved in her high
birth. Elizabeth wants Martha to sue her
school drama club, producing and
midwife for negligence, in a move she
performing in the senior musical, and
sees as a refusal to submit to despair,
was a cheerleader and class president,
but Martha is too mired in grief to know
she was not a good student in other
what she wants. Then, in a single, blister-
respects. “I was skipping classes all the
ing scene, we’re slapped in the face with
time, and I was failing everything. I was
Burstyn’s towering talent. As Elizabeth
much more interested in the extracur-
rages at her daughter for succumbing to
ricular activities than I was in going to
her sadness, she tells the story of herself
geometry,” she says.
as a sickly Holocaust survivor baby that
It was only years later, in the ’80s,
flatly refused to die. Thus, the film asks,
when she was chairing a meeting one
Exorcist, to her shattering portrayal of a
what is it that drives us to carry on?
day as President of the Actors’ Equity,
isn’t confined to Burstyn’s work though;
hallucinating addict in Darren Aronof-
How do we choose to survive?
that Burstyn realized how that high
it seems inherent to who she is. As an
sky’s Requiem for a Dream, through six
up-and-coming actress, before she
Oscar nominations and one win, two
person, and cripple them, or it can steel
future. “All of a sudden I flashed on
made her name on the stage and in
Emmys and a Tony, and a list of projects
them to inner strengths,” Burstyn muses.
the fact that I was President of the
television, before the big film roles came
as long as a phone book, her drive and
“And I think that’s what happened
junior class [back then], and now I’m
in, she never thought of quitting. “Hon-
talent appears unstoppable. And now,
with Elizabeth and what she wants her
President of the Actors Studio, and I’m
estly, I don’t remember ever considering
aged 88, though she hasn’t been in
daughter to do. From her daughter’s
President of the Actors’ Equity. And I
giving in. I just don’t remember saying,
Academy contention for 20 years, she
point of view, it’s, ‘I’ll grieve my way, not
thought, ‘I was getting the education
‘Well, maybe I should just give up,’” she
is very much back in that conversation
your way.’ But from Elizabeth’s point of
I needed. I just didn’t know it.’ I was
says. Through her turn in perhaps the
with Pieces of a Woman.
view, it’s, ‘You’ve got to state your truth,
getting prepared for the life that I was
and there has to be justice. You move on
going to lead.”
premier horror movie of all time, The
10
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
Loosely based on the experiences
“Trauma can stay with someone, a
school experience had reflected her
COU RT ESY OF N E T FL I X
BACK IN 1971, WHEN ELLEN BURSTYN WAS FIRST CATAPULTED TO MOVIE STARDOM WITH THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, SHE RECEIVED A LETTER. “It was from a young man in Texas who told me that he was suicidal,” she says. The man wrote that he’d decided to see one final movie before he killed himself: The Last Picture Show. And that her performance had changed his mind. “He came out of there feeling, ‘Well, if she can make it through life,’ meaning the character I played, ‘if she can make it, I guess I can too.’” He thanked Burstyn for saving his life.
it was going to come out of me. But when it did, it surprised me. “One of the important qualities for a director,” she says, “is to appreciate what he’s being given, and understand what it is. Darren [Aronofsky] has that quality. He knows when what you’re giving is your best, or he can feel that maybe there’s another possibility that you haven’t come up with yet. One time [shooting Requiem for a Dream] we did a difficult scene. I was already crazy [in the context of the story], and we shot it four times, and they were all good. And then Darren said to me, ‘OK, we’ve got it. It’s in the can. Let’s just do another one, and do whatever you want.’ And we did another one, and that’s the one that’s in the movie.” With Pieces of a Woman that Scorsese relationship came full circle. “I never worked with him again. I’ve always hoped that I would,” Burstyn says. “He saw Pieces of a Woman, because the composer of Pieces is the composer that does Marty’s films. And he suggested Marty look at it. And he did. And FAMILY TIES From above: Elizabeth pleads with her grieving daughter Martha (Vanessa Kirby); with Kirby and director Kornél Mundruczó.
he liked it so much that he volunteered to be executive producer, so that it would be seen by the right people and gotten to the right places, which was, of course, ecstatic for Kornél and Kata and
TRAUMA CAN STAY WITH SOMEONE, A PERSON, AND CRIPPLE THEM, OR IT CAN STEEL THEM TO INNER STRENGTHS. I THINK THAT’S WHAT HAPPENED WITH ELIZABETH.” —ELLEN BURSTYN
Nixon was in trouble and everything,
the set, you’re in this creative, energetic,
we were in Washington shooting The
alive space. And some kind of reality
Exorcist,” she says. “So, I think about it.
emerges out of it, some kind of realness
ing the oldest ever Academy nominee
I can feel myself in the makeup chair,
that we strive for all the time, actually,
for acting, she’s focused on how she
reading the Washington Post about
and when we’re doing our best work and
might affect people with her art. And so,
the latest new developments, and
we’ve achieved it, it’s an energy field,
we return to the story of that suicidal,
was Nixon going to be impeached or
and you get in it and sparks start flying
young Texan man.
what. All of the talk was about Wash-
between the actors.”
ington and politics and Nixon and the
past in some other ways too. Burstyn is relieved by Joe Biden’s new Presidency—
Now, on the eve of possibly becom-
One Christmas some years ago, she found herself at a loose end in
Watergate thing. And here we were,
Burstyn and Kirby on Pieces of a Woman,
LA. “I decided to go to a hospital to
performing exorcisms. I wonder if, as we
a situation partly down to the close
visit people who were in there for the
were performing exorcisms, we were
relationship they’d built off camera—
holiday,” she says. “I was in the ward, and
cleansing Washington of some of its
”We love each other. I feel very maternal
this man came up to me. And he said, ‘I
demons at the time.” Recently, reading
toward Vanessa”—and partly down
can’t believe I’m seeing you.’ He told me
Bag Man, Rachel Maddow’s book about
to the freedom and security of Mun-
that he was the man and I had saved his
Vice President Spiro Agnew, she says
druczó’s set.
life. And now he was in the hospital with
she thought, “Maybe we should be Today’s world weirdly mirrors the
Those sparks certainly flew between
the rest of us.”
“I always felt safe with Kornél and
AIDS and dying. So, I saw him at the end
doing some exorcisms in Washington at
assured that I could just allow what
of his life, isn’t that incredible?” It turned
this time too.”
wants to come out to come out, and he
out he had left Texas and come to
would be an appreciator,” Burstyn says.
Hollywood to work in the industry before becoming sick.
When Burstyn won her Best Actress
“It’s like a dark cloud has lifted off the
Oscar for Alice Doesn’t Live Here
“I mean, I don’t always know what’s
whole country; I feel like we’ve all been
Anymore, the directing gig was originally
going to come out. I surprise myself
living through a nightmare”—but our
meant to be hers, but she handed it
sometimes. That scene with Vanessa,
have affected people’s lives,” Burstyn
current political turmoil also keeps
to a then relatively unknown Martin
that surprised me. At that moment
says. “And that pleases me more than
reminding her of the ’70s, the era in
Scorsese, so she could focus on her
when I described my birth, it came out
anything. If I can be helpful in some way
which she shot The Exorcist.
performance. That working relationship
with a force beyond what I had ever
through my art, to help someone deal
paid off. “Marty has an energy, that’s all
experienced when I ran it for myself. I
with their own life, that’s the best thing
I can say,” she says. “When you enter on
didn’t have a specific way that I thought
anybody can say to me.” ★
“During that whole Watergate time, when all of that was unraveling and
“I know that performances I’ve given
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
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CHARTED TERRITORY At press time, here is how Gold Derby’s experts ranked the Oscar chances in the Director and Animated Feature races. Get up-to-date rankings and make your own predictions at GoldDerby.com
BEST DIRECTOR
Battle Stations How Greyhound’s VFX supervisors brought the titular World War II destroyer to the screen
ON GREYHOUND, visual effects supervisors Nathan McGuinness and Pete Bebb had less than four months to bring a dramatic passage of the Battle of the Atlantic to life. Directed by Aaron Schneider, the World War II drama follows Navy commander Captain Krause (Tom Hanks) as he leads a destroyer across the ocean, protecting merchant ships from the attacks of German U-boats. For McGuinness and Bebb, creating the Greyhound from scratch was just one of many challenges, on the path to immersing viewers in the authentic details of war. After taking the VFX team to an existing destroyer known as the HMS Belfast, to get their minds around the amount of detail at hand, on a ship of this sort, the pair looked to model the Greyhound off of reference footage and photography. “I don’t think there was a piece of footage anywhere that we didn’t have,” McGuinness says. “That was the guide on the amount of rust, the amount of texture, and what type of weathering [ships] would have.” With a foundation forged in research, the supervisors then engaged in a 3D modeling process that felt old school. “It’s quite similar to how we used to do [it], back in the day, prior to getting lidar scans, and the rest of it,” notes Bebb. “You research this stuff. You try to locate blueprints; you try to get displacement charts for the weight, and how they sit in the water. It was actually very exciting, on that side of things.” —Matt Grobar
The Prom cinematographer Matthew Libatique on his free-flowing approach to the screen musical
1
Chloé Zhao Nomadland
17/5
2
David Fincher Mank
9/2
3
Aaron Sorkin The Trial of the Chicago 7
6/1
4
Regina King One Night in Miami
6/1
5
Lee Isaac Chung Minari
7/1
BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
ODDS
1
Soul
82/25
2
Wolfwalkers
37/10
3
Over the Moon
9/2
4
Onward
11/2
5
Earwig and the Witch
12/1
number, “Changing Lives”. By building incandescent globes into dazzling marquees, which illuminated the massive set in Downtown LA, he says he and his team were able to bring
Marking Matthew Libatique’s entrée
choreograph specifically,” he says,
“this old school feel of a Broadway
into the world of musicals, The Prom
of the Ryan Murphy comedy. “So,
street” to life. “[We] found a way to
required the cinematographer to
each lighting scenario was designed
circuit it, in a way that I had complete
engage in constant improvisation, with
to give maximum flexibility, to react
control,” he adds. “So, that was a bit of
regard to both camera movement
to how the blocking turned out.” For
a win and an effort. It was a melding of
and lighting. “I didn’t have the
Libatique, one notable coup in lighting
old technology and new.”
benefit of rehearsals where we could
pertained to Broadway-set opening
—Matt Grobar
12
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
SING IT Meryl Streep and James Corden let loose in Ryan Murphy musical The Prom.
COU RT ESY OF A P P LE T V + /N E T FL I X
BREAKING A LEG
ODDS
“A MAJOR MOTION PICTURE ACHIEVEMENT. Director John Lee Hancock has crafted an extraordinary thriller that is as unexpected as it is accomplished.” Pete Hammond
F O R YO U R C O N S I D E R AT I O N I N A L L C AT E G O R I E S I N C L U D I N G
BEST PICTURE MARK JOHNSON, p.g.a. JOHN LEE HANCOCK
BEST DIRECTOR JOHN LEE HANCOCK
BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY JOHN LEE HANCOCK
BEST ACTOR DENZEL WASHINGTON
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR W W W. W B AWA R DS . COM
RAMI MALEK | JARED LETO
WINNER
OFFICIAL SELECTION
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B E S T I N T E R N AT I O N A L F I L M NOMINEE
FILM INDEPENDENT SPIRIT AWARDS
O N E O F T H E TO P F O R E I G N LANGUAGE FILMS OF THE YEAR N AT I O N A L B O A R D O F R E V I E W
A FILM BY PHILIPPE LACÔTE
On My Screen: Tom Holland
The Cherry and Spider-Man star on his film memories, first lessons, and the co-star he’s annoyed the most BY JOE UTICHI
since Tom Holland made his West End theatre debut as Billy Elliot in the musical adaptation of Stephen Daldry’s modern classic film; a half lifetime for the 24-year-old actor who has spent the time since forging a career as a major star. Of course, his trajectory was helped along by his casting in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War, but it was his spirit and energy that breathed new life into a superhero who had already weathered two big-screen adaptations. He reunites with directors Anthony and Joe Russo this year for Cherry, which, in Holland’s own words, represents the greatest challenge of his career to date. What better opportunity to dive into his film and television favorites?
THE PART I ALWAYS WANTED Nobody ever believes me when I say this, but it really is Spider-Man. As a young kid, I watched Tobey Maguire’s movies, and then Andrew Garfield’s movies, and then the cartoons and the comics. People are drawn to characters they feel they have something in common with, and Peter Parker was that kid who didn’t quite fit in, so I saw myself in him. For me, my dreams have come true. I always wanted to play Spider-Man, and now I’m shooting my third movie. If I wanted to be really selfish, I would add James Bond to that list, but I think I’ve been lucky enough as it is, so I won’t be too offended if they never call.
MY FIRST ACTING LESSON I was in Billy Elliot on stage in London. I was maybe 12 or 13 years old, and at the Victoria Palace Theatre there were three tiers— stalls, dress circle and the Gods. Sometimes at the beginning of the year, after Christmas or on a Monday, the Gods wouldn’t be open because they couldn’t fill the theatre. It used to really affect the show. You wouldn’t get the same reaction from the audience. I remember when it first happened to me, I did a kind of half-assed show. I didn’t try very hard, and I remember the director, Nick Evans, who I didn’t know was watching, came over and told me off. It was a vital lesson to me. I was thinking, Bollocks to this, I’m not going to get massive applause. But what I learnt was that doing something for someone’s reaction isn’t enough; you have to do it for yourself and be the best every time. I thank Nick for that lesson. THE BEST ADVICE I EVER RECEIVED It also came from Nick Evans, and I’ve taken it with me my entire career and passed it on. I’ve even had people say to me, “I used that piece of advice and it changed the way I look at things.” Basically, it’s this: if you think about the physical feeling of being nervous, it’s the same feeling as being excited. Think of how you feel when you’re queuing up for a rollercoaster, where you don’t know if you’re excited or shitting your pants. So, convince yourself to turn your nerves into excitement. Doing that just makes you enjoy everything a lot more. I use it all the time, particularly with things like chat shows, which are quite scary things to do. Those butterflies in your stomach are the same either way, so it’s just about whether, mentally, you let them take control. > Continued on p. 18.
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A P P LE T V + /E V E RE T T CO LL ECT IO N /M EGA AG E N CY/ WORK I N G TI T LE
IT HAS BEEN MORE THAN 12 YEARS
FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN ALL CATEGORIES INCLUDING
BEST DIRECTOR
LEE DANIELS
FEBRUARY 26
MY BIGGEST CHALLENGE Cherry is easily the hardest role I’ve ever had to take on, for loads of reasons. The amount of life that we cover throughout the film for a start—this is 18 years of someone’s life. Trying to convey that in two-and-a-half hours is quite a daunting task, and then you throw in love, despair, PTSD, substance abuse, bank robbery and prison. It’s the golden ticket for an actor, because it’s a role that keeps on giving, and there was never a dull moment on set. There was no limit to how far we could push ourselves. Although sometimes I might have pushed too far. The scene in the car where I’m going crazy; I’m pretty sure I gave myself a concussion in that scene because I was just banging my head so hard on the seat. We had the wrap party that night and I was not at all with it. Everyone’s dancing around and I’m like, “Guys, I’ve only had three beers, but I think I have to go lay down…” THE FILMS THAT MAKE ME CRY I’m so lucky in my life to have my dad. My dad is such an important part of the way I behave, and the decisions I make. And there’s a Richard Curtis film called About Time that’s all about father-son relationships. There’s a scene where he goes back in time to see his dad for the last time, and they walk on the beach. And my dad and I never walk on the beach together, but that scene just kills me because I love my dad so much and I’m proud of him, and I look up to him. Of course, he annoys me all the time and sometimes I can’t be around him, but that’s because he’s my dad, you know? I love that about him. So, without fail, About Time makes me cry every damn time. THE MOST FUN I’VE HAD ON SET That’s a hard one. I’m so lucky that I love what I do, and I love the people I get to do it with. But whenever I’m with Zendaya and Jacob Batalon on Spider-Man, we always have so much fun. Poor Jon Watts, because trying to direct the three of us together is like pulling teeth. If Jacob’s not joking around, Zendaya is. If she’s not making a joke, I am. We’re shooting the third film now, and being back together with the gang is just amazing.
MY MOST TORTURED CO-STAR I annoy a lot of people, to be fair. I’m quite annoying. But I remember once being told off by Benjamin Walker. We were doing a film together called In the Heart of the Sea. We’re all in these boats together, and we were all starving hungry, and… I don’t know why I was doing this, but I was a child. I was about 16 at the time. I kept throwing pieces of fruit at him. I was throwing limes and stuff. At one point I hit him square in the face, and he gave me, let’s say, a stern talking to. We’re really great mates, and we had a lovely time together, but I would say I might have crossed a line by chucking a lime at his face. OK, definitely crossed a line. It wasn’t even a very ripe lime, either. It was hard as shit. Bless him. MY GUILTY PLEASURE Well, Modern Family is the go-to, for me. If I’ve got nothing to do and I want to sit down and just have a good old giggle, I’ll watch that. It’s just such a good show. So wellwritten and clever and nuanced. Plus, Phil Dunphy might be the best TV character of all time. If they published that book, Phil’s-osophy, I would absolutely buy it and live by every teaching that was in the book.
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THE LINE PEOPLE QUOTE AT ME “I don’t want to go,” is the one I get all the time, from that scene in Avengers: Infinity War. It’s amazing when people think it’s some mindblowing piece of improv, because I just say the same line five times in a row. People make out like it’s this beautifully eloquent sentence. But I look back on that scene so fondly. We had so much fun on those sets, but when we got into the emotion of that moment, we really dived into it. People tell me they imagine that scene must have been horrendous to shoot, but I look back on it with nothing but happiness. It was amazing. I loved it. I got to hug Robert Downey Jr., like, 60 times, and cry on his shoulder. What’s not to love? THE ACTOR WHO’D PLAY ME IN MY LIFE STORY Probably someone like Brad Pitt, maybe. I reckon he’d be a good one. We’ve got the same body type. He’s a little bit taller than me, but that’s all right [laughs]. I’m not even joking, by the way. Brad Pitt is sort of the apex of what being a movie star is. If you look at his career and the work he’s done… I mean he’s number one for me.
FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION IN ALL CATEGORIES INCLUDING
BEST PICTURE BEST ACTOR
BEST ACTRESS
Andy Samberg
Cristin Milioti
F I L M I N D E P E N D E N T S P I R I T AWA R D S N O M I N E E
BEST FIRST SCREENPLAY Andy Siara
ONE OF THE BEST FILMS OF THE YEAR “A gloriously meta commentary on our ongoing lockdown existence.
HITS JUST THE RIGHT SWEET NOTES in its meditation on how to find meaning when everyday life starts feeling (literally) the same.”
Andy
Cristin
J.K.
SAMBERG
MILIOTI
SIMMONS
TROLLS WORLD TOUR
Drawing Battle Lines
OVER THE MOON
hails from director Don Scanlon
night. Reflecting Moore and Stewart’s
(Monsters University). Premiering in
love of carefully crafted 2D animation,
Berlin and debuting theatrically in
the film hails from Irish animation studio
March prior to Covid shutdowns, the
Cartoon Saloon, which has been nomi-
adventure pic draws on Scanlon’s
nated for four Oscars since 1999, and
CAN AN INTERNATIONAL STUDIO OR AN AMBITIOUS STREAMER
experience of loss, as a child, following
may be on the cusp of a breakthrough.
TOPPLE THE HOUSE OF MOUSE IN THE BEST ANIMATED
elven brothers Ian (Tom Holland) and
FEATURE RACE? BY MATT GROBAR
SINCE THE INCEPTION OF THE OSCARS’ BEST ANIMATED FEATURE CATEGORY IN 2001, the race has been utterly dominated by powerhouse American studios—the most notable examples being Walt Disney Studios and its Emeryville subsidiary, Pixar. Having claimed eight Oscars over the last decade, and 13 overall, these studios have become almost insurmountable over time.
Notching its first pair of Oscar
Barley Lightfoot (Chris Pratt), as they
nominations in 2019, Netflix returns to
quest after a magical artifact that will
competition this year in search of its
bring their father back to life for one
first win, its strongest contender being
day. Bolstered by a score from Jeff and
original musical, Over the Moon. Marking
Mychael Danna, the film’s voice cast
the long-awaited feature debut of
also features Octavia Spencer and Julia
pioneering animator Glen Keane—who
Louis-Dreyfus.
illustrated many of the most iconic
While this pair of titles makes Disney
characters in the history of Walt Disney
a lock for at least one Oscars slot, a
Animation Studios—the film centers
number of smaller titles and studios
on Fei Fei, a Chinese teenager, who
newer to the race are giving them a
grew up being told the legend of Moon
run for their money. Directed by Tomm
goddess Chang’e. Struggling to cope,
Moore and Ross Stewart, Wolfwalkers
following the loss of her mother, the
places Apple TV+ in the competition for
young woman builds a rocket and heads
the first time. Recognized as Best Ani-
out into space, in order to prove that
mated Film by the Los Angeles and New
the immortal being is real. Produced
This year, they once again pose
character finds that his only way back
York Film Critics Associations, the third
by Pearl Studio, and scripted by the
fierce competition with two titles, the
from the celestial realm known as The
and final installment in Moore’s ‘Irish
late Audrey Wells, the film stars Cathy
clear frontrunner being Pete Docter
Great Before is to mentor a stubborn,
Folklore Trilogy’ features the voices of
Ang, Phillipa Soo, Ken Jeong, John Cho,
and Kemp Powers’ Soul. Meditating on
fledgling soul known as 22 (Tina Fey).
Honor Kneafsey, Eva Whittaker, Simon
Ruthie Ann Miles, Margaret Cho, and
the origins of the human personality,
Gorgeously animated, and bolstered by
McBurney and Sean Bean. Set in 1650s
Sandra Oh. It’s original songs were
Docter’s follow-up to Oscar winners Up
original jazz tunes from Jon Batiste, Soul
Ireland, it tells the story of an apprentice
written by Christopher Curtis, Marjorie
and Inside Out centers on Joe (Jamie
is a history-making title, as the first Pixar
hunter who journeys with her father
Duffield and Helen Park.
Foxx), a frustrated middle-school band
film to center on a Black character, its
from England to take out a pack of
teacher, who seeks to return to Earth,
first to call upon the talents of a Black
wolves. Raised in a Puritanical society,
Gitanjali Rao, Bombay Rose is a painterly
after a sudden accident separates
co-director, and the first to debut on
Robyn experiences true freedom for the
romantic drama that was brought to
him from his body. Striving to return
the Disney+ streaming service, amidst
first time only when she befriends a girl
fruition over the course of six years.
to New York City to realize his dreams
the coronavirus pandemic.
from a mysterious tribe, which is said
Centered on a young Hindu woman
to transform into a pack of wolves by
whose difficult existence, as a flower
of performing as a jazz musician, the
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D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
Pixar’s other contender, Onward
The debut feature of award-winner
COU RT ESY OF P I XA R/ D R EA M WOR KS AN I M AT I ON / NE T FL I X
SOUL
SCOOB!
LUPIN III: THE FIRST
seller and nightclub dancer, is changed
home before she’s discovered by forces
they move into the residence of a
when she strikes up a romance with a
that would cause her harm. Paying
clan that claims to be more evolved,
young man, the film powerfully brings to
homage to a range of sci-fi classics—
contemplating the meaning of home, as
Yuasa’s Ride Your Wave, the story of
life both the chaos and beauty of life in
everything from 2001: A Space Odyssey
well as their future as a pack. Marking
the romance that develops between
Bombay, premiering in 2019, as part of
to The Jetsons—this high-concept
the debut feature of Joel Crawford,
a surfer and a firefighter. And then
the Venice Film Festival’s International
sequel to 2015’s Oscar nominated
the comedy sees Nicolas Cage, Emma
there’s Kenji Iwaisawa’s debut feature,
Critics’ Week.
Shaun the Sheep Movie was nominated
Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener,
On-Gaku: Our Sound, a dry comedy
for Best Animated Featured at the
Clark Duke, and Cloris Leachman, who
based on comics by Hiroyuki Ohashi,
BAFTA Awards, among other accolades.
has sadly since passed, reprising their
which follows a group of delinquent
voice roles, with Peter Dinklage, Leslie
schoolkids that set out to form a band.
The streamer’s third entry, The Willoughbys, adapts a book of the same name by Lois Lowry. Kris Pearn’s
Up next in contention are two
Third up for GKIDS is Masaaki
follow-up to Cloudy With a Chance of
sequels produced by 12-time nominee
Meatballs 2 centers on the Willoughby
DreamWorks Animation and distrib-
children, who grew up with parents
uted by Universal Pictures. Following
international titles from New York-
rounds out a stellar slate of studio
who could not be more disinterested in
up 2016’s Trolls, which garnered a
based distributor GKIDS—which last
pictures. At the same time, there are
them. Exploring the sometimes-wide
nomination for Best Original Song, Walt
contended with 2018’s Mirai—including
a number of other notable contend-
gap between the families we’re born
Dohrn’s jukebox musical Trolls World
Gorô Miyazaki’s Earwig and the Witch.
ers, including Rémi Chayé’s Calamity,
into and those we choose, it watches as
Tour will look to break into Animated
Produced by Studio Ghibli—which
a Childhood of Martha Jane Cannary
the kids send their selfish guardians on
Feature, while contending once again
is vying for its seventh nomina-
(Agora Films) and Mariusz Wilczyn-
vacation, and, forging new connections,
in the former category. Starring Justin
tion—Miyazaki’s film tells the story of a
ski’s award winner, Kill It and Leave
set off on a globetrotting adventure.
Timberlake and Anna Kendrick, the
10-year-old orphan girl in England, who
This Town (Outsider Pictures).
Featuring the original song “I Choose”,
infectious celebration of diversity and
is adopted by a witch, coming to learn
performed by pop star Alessia Cara, the
inclusivity follows trolls Poppy and
about a world of magic, with which
by the Covid-19 pandemic, the Oscar
film’s cast includes Ricky Gervais, Will
Branch as they learn of six tribes within
her mother was involved. Based on a
Shortlists will be announced on
Forte, Maya Rudolph, Cara and more.
their world, each representing a specific
novel by Diana Wynne Jones, the official
February 9, with the Academy Award
musical genre. When the fuzzy friends
Cannes selection was Ghibli’s first to be
nominations following on March 15.
A Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmaged-
discover a plot by the Queen of the
fully realized in 3D CG.
With a slew of strong independent
don hails from Aardman Animations,
Hard Rock trolls to take over all of the
Also embracing this medium,
a British stop-motion studio that has
kingdoms and eliminate other kinds of
Takashi Yamazaki’s Lupin III: The First
looking to fortify their positions in
crafted a legion of beloved characters,
music, they set off on a journey to stop
brings a classic manga character into a
the world of animation, it’s difficult
over the course of decades. The first
her from pulling it off.
3D computer generated world for the
to decisively forecast a winner in
first time. Based on a character created
the feature category. To see if the
The final title distributed by Netflix,
feature from Will Becher and Richard
Following up 2013’s The Croods,
Mann, and Kelly Marie Tran.
mysterious artifact.
Then, there are a range of acclaimed
A Scooby Doo origin story directed by Tony Cervone, Warner Bros.’ Scoob!
After an awards season protracted
films contending, and newer studios
Phelan picks up with Shaun the Sheep—
which secured a nomination for Best
by the late artist Monkey Punch, the
behemoth that is Disney prevails
a character first introduced in 1995—as
Animated Feature, The Croods: A New
first Lupin film to be made in over 20
once again, we’ll have to wait until the
he and his farmyard pals encounter an
Age picks up with a family of prehistoric
years follows the charismatic thief, as
virtual Oscars ceremony, scheduled
alien named Lu-La, looking to get her
cavemen known as the Croods, as
he battles with Nazis over control of a
for Sunday, April 25. ★
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COU RT ESY OF A P P LE T V + /WA RN E R B ROS ./G K IDS
WOLFWALKERS
Remembering Chadwick MORE THAN FIVE MONTHS ON FROM CHADWICK BOSEMAN’S PASSING, AS HIS FINAL PERFORMANCES CONTINUE TO GENERATE OSCAR TALK, FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES REFLECT ON THE LOSS OF A TRUE ARTIST BY MI K E F LE M I N G J R.
C H A DW I C K B O S E M A N ’ S D E AT H I N AUGU S T, at the age of 43, shocked his friends and colleagues who made recent films with him as much as it did fans around the world, who mourned the passing of the actor who in a relatively short time played Black Panther, James Brown, Jackie Robinson and Thurgood Marshall.
Chad did not want any director to think,
affect his experience off-set, either.
‘I can’t push him as hard, because he’s
When Lindo’s son, 17 at the time, visited
sick.’ He did not want to be treated
the set, he joined them for dinner.
differently. He wanted me to tell him to
“He was very, very gracious and open
run as fast as the rest of them.”
towards my son,” says Lindo. “He was
Says co-star Norm Lewis: “The truth is, we were trying to keep up with him.”
with his energy, and with himself. I will
Lee sought Boseman because of the His colleagues still shake their
just very, very generous—with his time, always remember and value that, in
is gone. But his work will live on, forever.”
aura he knew he would bring with him.
terms of who Chadwick Boseman was
heads in disbelief at the craft of his
As well as Ma Rainey, Boseman’s
“He was already mythical,” the director
as a person.”
performances in two Oscar season
ethereal supporting turn in Spike Lee’s
explains, “So, when people see him in
Lindo adds: “He spoke openly about
movies, delivered while he was in the
Da 5 Bloods suggests a second nomina-
Da 5 Bloods, they’ve already seen him
the whole aspect of mega stardom. He
final throes of his fight against cancer. “I
tion is possible also. And Lee marvels
as Jackie Robinson, as James Brown,
didn’t refer to it as mega stardom—I’m
celebrate the man,” says Denzel Wash-
in retrospect at Boseman’s resilience in
as Thurgood Marshall, and as Black
saying that—and I just got the impres-
ington, who produced Ma Rainey’s Black
the face of the oppressive heat of the
Panther. The audience didn’t have to
sion that what mattered to him was
Bottom, George C. Wolfe’s adaptation
shoot in Vietnam and Thailand, and his
do a lot of work to believe who Stormin’
the work. And that also endeared me
of the August Wilson play that has put
willingness to shoot demanding scenes
Norman is.”
to him. He was probably one of the
Boseman in prime contention for a rare
that required much physicality.
posthumous Oscar, like those trophies
An especially challenging scene to
Delroy Lindo, who shares a most
biggest movie stars on the planet after
pivotal scene late in the film with Bose-
the success of Black Panther, but he
awarded to Peter Finch for Network and
shoot involved the Bloods’ helicopter
man, felt similarly. “Chadwick came on
was also an actor who was very, very
Heath Ledger for The Dark Knight.
being shot down, and the group running
set probably five or six weeks after we
serious about the work of acting. I really
through the jungle trying to take out the
had all been in Thailand working,” he
admired and really respected that
is visited on the living,” Washington
enemy before they are gunned down.
remembers. “And the very first scene
about him.”
continues. “So, my prayers are for his
“I understood why Chad would not
that Chadwick and I did together—his
wife, and his family. Chad is at peace.
tell me,” says Lee of his star’s decision
very first day of work—was the scene at
Lindo’s character’s son in the movie,
And Chad has left seven examples of
not to disclose his diagnosis. “Because
the end of the film, when Norm comes
working with Boseman was an
his great talent and commitment to the
of this particular scene: it was hot as
to visit Paul. And he was just ready. I
education that proved valuable as his
work. He has left that with us. Chad had
hell, the guys had equipment and had
was ready, he was ready.”
own star rises. After a standout turn in
a concentrated dose of life and now he
to run. There was more than one take.
“The tragedy and the pain of death
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D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
Boseman didn’t let his condition
For Jonathan Majors, who played
Lovecraft Country, Majors is soon to join
PHOTOGRAPH BY
Michael Buckner
For many audiences, Boseman’s long association with Black Panther in the MCU makes it the role most indelibly linked with the late actor. Joe and Anthony Russo made four films in seven years with Boseman and watched him develop the character from his first appearance in Captain America: Civil War through his last in Avengers: Endgame. When Boseman’s family announced his passing, the Russos say they were as stunned as anyone else. “There
RARE TALENT Boseman in character on the set of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom.
were moments, once or twice, when I remember noticing he was surprisingly thin,” says Anthony. “You thought maybe something was going on, but it wasn’t anything beyond that. And
the Marvel Cinematic Universe himself
“It was the experience of working
insistence he learn the fingering of
even though he was a warm, generous
as Kang the Conqueror in Ant-Man and
with a true artist, which you only find
the horn for the music scenes. And
and very present person, and likeable
the Wasp: Quantumania. Observing
a few times in your career,” Davis says.
his strength manifested literally when
to work with, his personal life did seem
Boseman taught him to never wear star
“That’s what it felt like to work with
he was charged with breaking down
quiet and guarded. He had something
stature on your sleeve.
Chadwick. I always say that he was
a door in a moment of frustration for
so complicated going on that it created
a character actor in a leading man’s
his character. “He kicked it in so hard
a bit of a shroud over his personal life.
mind,” says Majors. “There are the inner
body. He wasn’t interested in the last
the first time, the whole door almost
At the time, I looked it as, some people
workings of how films are made. It is
film making a billion dollars; he was
literally fell apart,” says Wolfe. “I talked
are private people, and that’s perfectly
on the call sheet. As a young actor, that
interested in what he had in front of
about him doing it less ferociously.
fine. I thought that was just how he was
is the hierarchy of the game. You’re
him right then and there, and making it
We repaired the door, and he kicked
built, but in retrospect I think there was
one, two, three, four, five, down to nine.
as honest and as truthful as possible.
it just as ferociously the second time.
more behind it than that.”
Everybody has their place. Chadwick…
He was not a vanity guy at all. And the
He would do that aria where he curses
Adds Joe: “Chadwick was an
he was Black Panther. He was the man.
reason I mention that, too, is that he
God and attacks Cutler with the knife,
extremely intelligent person and he
James Brown. Jackie Robinson. I never
could easily have been that vanity guy.
and he would go out to the steps just
certainly appreciated the meaning of
heard of anyone doing this before, but
But he wasn’t. He was the real deal; one
outside the set and collapse. I would
what [Black Panther] was on every
[on our movie], he took himself down
of those people that comes along once
walk toward him and say, ‘Are you
level. He approached it with a lot of
on the call sheet. He was high up…”
in a lifetime.”
ready to do it again?’ I would give him a
respect, he knew the responsibility that
note, and in 15 or 20 minutes, he came
came along with it, but he was never
Boseman handled the intensity of key
back, ready. He would give the same
intimidated by the enormity of it. He
scenes, concealing his own pain. “I
performance, just as emotionally raw,
always stayed so focused on the craft
adds Majors. “For me, as a young actor,
think of every step of the journey on
with the adjustment.”
and that led him through everything; a
watching him and working with him,
this film I spent with this incredibly
to see him do that… for him, it was the
intense, smart, dynamic and sweet
experienced a second poignant final
complicated if you let it. He poured
story, first and foremost. Chad, in all his
guy,” Wolfe says. “We went through
collaboration with someone he didn’t
everything into his discovery and craft-
glory, stardom and power, was humble
this two-week rehearsal period and
know was dying. He had directed
ing of the character.”
and aware and noble enough to say,
the breakthroughs—like one of Levee’s
Nora Ephron’s play Lucky Guy, which
this is how it should go. That was a huge
big arias about what happened to his
premiered on Broadway not long after
due to Boseman’s reverence for the
lesson for me.”
parents—and the emotions took him,
Ephron had died. “She was very sick
character, and for what Ryan Coogler’s
and he just went there.”
at the time and she had come to my
history-making solo film Black Panther
house three times a week,” says Wolfe.
had established in the minds of audi-
“He was number one,” Lindo points out. “And he took himself down to five,”
As Levee in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Boseman saved perhaps
Wolfe still marvels at the way
Wolfe says Boseman was making
In hindsight, Wolfe realized he has
process that could have become overly
The Russo brothers suspect it was
the best performance of his career
plans, even then. “I had no sense there
“I would give her notes and she would
ences, that he kept his diagnosis pri-
for last. Levee is a horn player whose
was anything wrong,” he recalls. “He
go away, and I found out that when she
vate. “I think he wanted the significance
ambition is tempered by the bitter
sent me a script he wanted me to direct,
wasn’t there, she was on chemo. By the
and historical event that was Black
memories of racism. The character
and I sent him a script I’d written that I
time I found out she was very ill, it was
Panther—the Black-cast-led superhero
is at times seductive, charming, and
wanted him to be in. We talked about
too late for me to say anything to her.”
film that was a global sensation—to
burning with shame and rage. And
doing a play. Everything was about mov-
while it was clear to them that he
ing forward. The shock was the shock,
fascinated by this impulse that is inside
tremendous respect for him for that
was losing weight, his co-star Viola
but the full journey of working on that
these ferocious human beings who
reason and that being his motivation.
Davis and the film’s director George
film was working with somebody who
are driven to do their jobs,” says Wolfe,
Certainly, we can only guess at that, but
C. Wolfe say that he showed no other
was so vibrant and strong.”
punctuating these three final words:
knowing him the way we did, I think we
Do. Their. Jobs. “And to do it with every
can say unequivocally that is the reason
single thing that they have.”
he did not express his illness.” ★
signs of suffering from his diagnosis. Boseman brought it, every day.
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D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
Boseman’s attention to detail bordered on obsessive, including an
It has caused him to reflect. “I’m just
be the story,” says Anthony. “We have
COU RT ESY OF N E T FL I X
“Noble is the word that comes to
VIDEO SERIES
P R ES E N T E D BY
Go behind the scenes with the talented people who work on the most critically acclaimed television shows and films
WATC H N OW AT
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The Art of Craft News of the World’s production designer maps out the 300-mile journey at the film’s center BY MATT GROBAR IL LUSTRATI ON BY DAVID C RANK
“I think often what can happen with Westerns is, they just get kind of fancy—and sometimes, it works for the story. But when you look at pictures from the time period… things were rough. No one was worrying about having the perfect-colored front door.”
-DAVID CRANK
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D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
While the story spanned over 300 miles, the film was shot within a 30mile radius of Santa Fe. On Bonanza Creek Ranch, Crank reconstructed parts of Wichita Falls, Red River Station and Dallas. To preserve the illusion of separate cities, this set was turned over every four to six days, repainted and shot at different angles.
For Wichita Falls, one key set was what Crank calls an “impersonal” wool barn, where lonely traveler Captain Kidd (Tom Hanks) gives his first reading in the film.
For the cattle crossing Red River Station, meanwhile, Crank built out a section of the largest military outpost in Northern Texas.
One of the larger cities Crank tackled, Dallas was augmented with visual effects. Key set pieces were a hotel, dining room and Masonic Hall.
The film’s only fictional town, Durand, was a chaotic fiefdom brought to life on Eaves Ranch, its notable features including a deserted military camp and a “dangerous and uncontrollable” town square.
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
29
AT A TIME IN WHICH FILM AND TELEVISION PRODUCTION WAS ON LOCKDOWN DUE TO THE EMERGING CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC, Malcolm & Marie WAS THE RARE PROJECT HEADING INTO PRODUCTION. THE $2.5 MILLION INDIE ABOUT A LATE-NIGHT DEBATE BETWEEN A YOUNG COUPLE GOT MADE BECAUSE WRITER/ DIRECTOR SAM LEVINSON ANSWERED ZENDAYA’S CALL TO WRITE A CONTAINED DRAMA THAT MIGHT KEEP THEM AND THEIR EUPHORIA CREW EMPLOYED AFTER THE HBO DRAMA WAS SHUTTERED DAYS BEFORE SHOOTING A NEW SEASON. THEY ENLISTED JOHN DAVID WASHINGTON TO CO-STAR AND GOT HIM AND OTHERS TO INVEST IN A PROJECT THAT HAS GONE ON TO GENERATE MUCH AWARDS BUZZ FOR ALL THREE. MIKE FLEMING JR. MEETS THE SMALL TEAM THAT CAME TOGETHER TO OVERCOME THE ODDS.
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D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
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HOUSEBOUND Zendaya, John David Washington and writer/director Sam Levinson prep for a night shoot on Malcolm & Marie.
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D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
I
t was macaroni and cheese that convinced Sam Levinson Malcolm & Marie was on the right track. With his actors and a small crew, Levinson was ensconced in a stylish glass house in Carmel, California— a movie-ready location, but also one of the only places in the state that allowed for the requisite lodging to form a Covid-safe bubble—watching his screenplay, about an insecure writer/director too wrapped up in the afterglow of a rhapsodic premiere to realize how much he has hurt his partner, come to life. As the night drags on, Malcolm waits patiently for the effusive reviews to roll in. But for Marie, the fact that he forgot to thank her in his speech, despite the inspiration her own path out of drug addiction provided to the story, clearly stings. A long clash between them ensues, and never was there a more contentious preparation of a late-night snack. “I was shooting the mac and cheese scene, and there was this
watch, fast-rising actors raise their game with Levinson’s crackling dialogue
Oh, this is lightning in a bottle with these two. And then I got out of
elevates the drama above its pigeonholing as a movie about Hollywood.
the way and made sure I bottled up as much of that lightning as possible for the screen.” Indeed, it’s one thing to overcome the massive hurdles faced
That it worked out so well and came together in such a short period of time is just as remarkable. “This started as, how can we get back to work,” Levinson says. “I talked
when mounting a project during a global pandemic. But Oscar
to HBO and said, ‘Maybe we can do a Covid episode [of Euphoria],’ and they
season is about quality storytelling that is brought to life by actors
said, ‘Sam, just go home, and be safe.’ That made perfect sense, but I had
at the top of their game. And it is just these two actors filling the
been talking to Z a lot when we were gearing up to do this pretty intense
screen for the entire movie, each revealing themselves in emotion-
season of Euphoria, and it grew from there.”
ally charged monologue scenes, tearing down the relationship they
Zendaya is the central figure in Euphoria, which tells of teens navigating
hope they might be able to salvage, baring their souls and insecuri-
sex and drugs and dysfunctional upbringings. When a six-week shutdown
ties in the process. in John Cassavetes-style scenes, down to the
became open ended, Zendaya implored Levinson to write a contained
black-and-white footage.
film she might fit in before starting her next Spider-Man film.
“This is a rare experience,” adds Levinson, “to have two people
“Over the course of those conversations, it got around to,
able to hold their own in such different and unique ways, and who
‘Hey Sam, what if we were to shoot something in my house?
are both so good with dialogue and so captivating and so fucking
Make it just us. We could write something,’” Zendaya
charismatic. It’s like a jolt of excitement.”
remembers. “We had no expectation of what that would
Malcolm & Marie became one of a handful of films able to find a
be, or what it would look like. Then it was like, would this
way around the daunting obstacles presented by the pandemic. It
even be possible? Some very strange ideas started
began when Zendaya—who had just recently become the young-
floating around and some concepts that definitely
est actress to win the Drama Series Best Actress Emmy—implored
didn’t make it.”
Levinson to write something that could keep them busy. Adhering
“I was pitching Z horror films and psychological
to strict protocols in compliance with WGA, DGA and SAG-AFTRA,
thrillers and all that,” adds Levinson. “And then at some
the film shot in a little over two weeks in late June at the environ-
point I thought, Well, what if it’s just a relationship
mentally-conscious glass architectural Caterpillar House in Carmel,
piece that plays out in real time, and what might kick
one of the few places in the state where production was possible,
that off? And I remember the time I forgot to thank my
and which was conducive to building a protective bubble that no
wife at the premiere of the movie…”
one could leave. It became the first post-pandemic film to wrap,
Levinson’s wife, Ashley, is a producer on Malcolm &
and no one got sick. As importantly, Euphoria crew and producers,
Marie, and was an associate producer on his previous fea-
who would have otherwise been unemployed, worked for owner-
ture, Assassination Nation. It was during that film’s premiere in
ship alongside the filmmakers and stars, who invested their money
Los Angeles at the Cinerama Dome where her director husband
to make possible the $2.5 million film.
forgot to thank her. The personal incident between filmmaker and
About 20 minutes of footage from Malcolm & Marie was
wife proved the key that unlocked Malcolm & Marie, even if the actual
screened for buyers in late August as the virtual Toronto Film
drama between the Levinsons over the slight wasn’t as traumatic as what we
Festival market ramped up. A bidding battle between eight bidders
see onscreen.
ensued, before Netflix won with a $30 million bid. COU RT ESY OF N E TF L IX
to be witnessing incredibly private moments. Seeing such gorgeous-to-
electricity between them,” Levinson recalls. “It was then I realized,
It is easy to see why buyers flipped for it, given it features two
“Sam and I have such open communication, and the basis of the relationship has always been friendship, trust and respect,” Ashley Levinson says. “I
of the hottest young stars in Hollywood, in a contained relation-
think it’s a very human thing to do when you’re anxious and excited, to forget
ship drama that at times feels like watching two prize fighters trade
someone. In the moment it wasn’t overwhelming. Then at the after party,
punches. In fact, Levinson used the back-and-forth exchanges of
people approached me and said, ‘You are so important to his work,’ and there
the Muhammad Ali-Joe Frazier fights as inspiration. This couple’s
it bothered me a little more. So, I talked to him about it on the drive home.
exchanges are so honest, it will remind viewers of their own regretful
But it was just human error, and I didn’t take it that personally.”
arguments with a partner, and almost make viewers embarrassed
They laughed, she says, when he told her this moment had unlocked
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
33
the door on Malcolm & Marie. “I felt an enormous
and I’m always trying to cut the dialogue I write.
Levinson recalls. Scrappy. He put $80,000 of
amount of gratitude I had a partner that cared that
Euphoria is about young people who aren’t able
black-and-white film stock on his credit card
much about acknowledgement that it had both-
to really articulate themselves, and so the camera
when they had to press the button on shooting in
ered him enough that he had shifted and grown.
and the music and lighting and mood does it for
Carmel. “It was like, ‘I’ve got to make this fucking
The beautiful irony was, a year later, in the same
them. I was interested in going in the complete
movie now, or else I’m going to be in real trouble,’”
theater at a premiere for Euphoria, he gave this
opposite direction and doing something that was
he laughs. “Ash comes in day five and says, ‘I’ve
wonderful speech about my role in who he is as a
just character, just dialogue, and finding a way to
found this hotel, can I put it on the credit card?’
person and an artist. I actually remember a friend
make that cinematic.”
I said, ‘Please don’t put it on the credit card,’ and
That was most conducive to their plan to
she says, ‘I actually just put it on the credit card.’
attempt to shoot the film despite the pandemic,
Some of this is scary to think about even in retro-
because it could be a single location, with two
spect because I was still writing. But it made me
Marie following the snub is so lacerating one is left
actors and a small crew, everybody sequestered
write fast and get it done.”
to wonder if such a re-do would even be possible;
away after being quarantined.
How lucky is that?’” The back and forth between Malcolm and
Malcolm’s insecurity about how hard it is for a
“Sam calls one day and says, ‘Yo, Z, I think I got
For his part, Washington says he felt more or less committed on that first call. “We met through
Black filmmaker to be accepted as a true artist
one,” Zendaya remembers. He gave her the eleva-
Katia at Sundance when I had Monsters and Men
would leave him feeling that crediting his partner
tor pitch and she said, “Go for it.” As he wrote, he
there and he had Assassination Nation. I was blown
might marginalize his accomplishment and would
would send Zendaya 10 or 15 pages at a time, “And
away by that film, thinking there’s nobody doing
be a blow to his manhood.
we would talk for hours. And we both thought the
anything like this. It’s crazy to hear him say [that I
only person who could ever be Malcolm would
was a question mark] because I felt like, if he calls
thing he can’t easily shake off. “[Assassination
be John David Washington. But there wasn’t
me, it’s a yes. It’s not, ‘What are we doing?’”
Nation] was a brutal process,” Levinson recalls. The
much there yet for John David to make a decision
film was a huge acquisition out of Sundance, but
whether or not he wanted to do it.”
For his part, Levinson’s omission is still some-
its complex themes made it difficult for market-
Even idled by Covid, like everyone else in Hol-
Of course, the change happening in the world didn’t hurt. “I thought I had my year mapped out, selling the film I was in with Christopher Nolan,
ers to find its audience. “I cut that movie for a year,
lywood, Washington’s star has ascended with the
traveling the world. And then everything came
hundreds of different cuts to take a four-hour film
same dizzying trajectory as Zendaya’s, following a
to a halt and I was in this dire, desperate need to
down to an hour and 45 minutes,” he says. “It took
breakout performance in Spike Lee’s BlacKkKlans-
perform. Badly. When this came about, I felt like it
a toll on both of us. I sat down after my speech and
man, and a blockbuster turn in the Christopher
was a godsend, because I’d never read anything
I remember walking to the car, knowing I forgot to
Nolan-directed Tenet. “Who’s going to go toe to
this powerful before.”
thank her, and I just felt so guilty. I couldn’t stop
toe with Z, who’s a true heavyweight?” Levinson
thinking about what might happen when you for-
recalls thinking. “We needed a great actor and
and crew mostly stayed outside; only a hand-
get to acknowledge the contribution of someone
someone who would challenge her, but who was
ful came inside the house where they filmed.
so integral to the process.”
also a kind actor. And John David was the only one
Not having routine positions like script supervi-
I could think of.”
sor made continuity a challenge, but if anything,
It was from there that Levinson fictionalized this debate taken to its extreme. “What happens if
Levinson got his number from the actor’s sister
Production jumped through every PPE hurdle,
the bubble increased the intensity of the scenes
we then find out that the movie is actually based
Katia, a producer on Assassination Nation, but he
somewhat on his wife?” he says. “How can I make
knew it would not be an easy call. “I knew him well
the problem worse and allow it just to peel back
enough to cold call him, but I was very nervous
when many people were unable to work, and that
layers of their relationship?”
because I was asking him to go from literally the
added to the grateful feeling and the fact we were
biggest film of the year to the smallest, and I also
sharing that bubble with people who were also
Times review, and how the reviewer didn’t get him.
knew that I was going to ask him if he wanted to
financially able to benefit from our film,” Zendaya
Meanwhile, he is oblivious to the fact that his part-
put money into this movie.”
says. “For me, I hadn’t been able to act in pretty
Malcolm gets existential in dissecting a rave LA
ner, Marie, is the one whose life is being dissected,
He called, and Washington told him to send
between Zendaya and Washington. “We were all cognizant of this being a time
much that whole year. I just was so grateful to be
since it is the plot of the movie. But no one knows
over the script. “I said, ‘Well, do you mind if I just
amongst these people and create with something
her difficult life experiences helped inform the film
read it to you, because it’s very rough?’” Levinson
that was written specifically for us. But it was also
because the aspiring actress was given no real
says. “I did, he was interested, and he said, ‘Well,
my dream role. I couldn’t believe I was able to
shot at the starring role by her partner. And even
just keep calling me and reading it I guess.’”
make it the way I wanted, and not have anybody to
the seemingly minor validation of a thank you for
“Sam just started reading the characters,” says
answer to, except the people around me I admire
her role in his movie was denied her. While Malcolm
Washington, picking up the story of that first call.
tells Marie he loves the way she sees the world, it
“I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. He has great
turns out that maybe he doesn’t really see her, and
timing and really understands performance. He is a
beyond the above-the-line triumvirate. “There
her own ambition, at all.
great actor himself in my opinion, and I was sold on
was the sense that we were in it together,” she
everything he was saying, everything these charac-
says. “Anybody who didn’t want to follow the strict
the layers of this relationship,” Levinson says. “I
ters were talking about, in this short excerpt. Then
protocols didn’t have to be there. Everybody there
started in theater and I love dialogue; it’s my favor-
he said, ‘I gotta keep writing, I’ll call you back.’”
was responsible and safe, and we got to stay in
ite thing to write. The director in me hates dialogue
The process was like this the whole way,
this place in Carmel, the middle of nowhere. Yes,
“It became an opportunity to strip back all of
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and was working with every day.” That sense of camaraderie extended well
COU RT ESY O F N E T FL I X
of mine saying, ‘When in life do you get a re-do?
I would never say that, or go there, but that’s the point of doing it. I’m existing through this character. - ZENDAYA D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
35
Oh, this is lightning in a bottle with these two. And then I got out of the way and made sure I bottled up as much of that lightning as possible for the screen.” - SAM LEVINSON there were days that were emotionally exhausting and hard. I slept all day
one-upping each other while staying true to character. But I wanted there to
until we had to go to work the next night. But there was such a love and sup-
be a joy to the fight.”
It encouraged a level of vulnerability that shows on screen, she says. “We
Perhaps in contrast to his character, Washington came in feeling squarely like the underdog in this emotionally bruising match. After all, Zendaya and
were dealing in such rough emotional spaces and it was so important that
Levinson had spent so many hours of talk time working out the beats of the
we were able to do that in a space that felt safe. After John David would do
story and the characters even before this was an actual movie. “We had 12
his monologue or I would do mine, or he would cry or I would cry, there was
days of prep where ideas were exchanged and we were in the think tank
a check-in, a support system with everyone there. That is how you’re able to
discussing stuff,” Washington says. “I was trying to catch up and I would hear
do your best work. I was grateful we were able to create that space where we
her say words and think, Well who wrote this, did she or did he? Because
could just let it all out. It was therapeutic in some instances as well.”
they are so fluid and simpatico together. I had no idea how I was going to do
The exchanges between characters grow more intense, taking on that Ali-
this. I never felt this way before that moment. No way in; I was playing with
Frazier aspect. Each character gets their shots, and after a retreat inside the
accents, doing all kinds of weird stuff. I think even Sam admitted to me he
fishbowl-like, glass-encased house, the other comes back and gives as good
wasn’t sure. I wasn’t reading right, I couldn’t read aloud, because the text was
as they got in the previous round. As they do, they reveal two very likeable
so deep and I was connecting with it so much that there was stuff happening
but damaged people who very likely belong together, but who maybe won’t
emotionally to me, even before I could get the words out.”
survive this night. “I wanted Malcolm to be more in line with Stanley Kowalski in Streetcar
But just as Levinson had rolled the dice on last-minute gambles to nudge the shoot past the point of no return, so Washington
Named Desire, where he’s screaming and using the space,” says Levinson.
too found his in at the very last minute. “I was working on it
“And I wanted Marie to start out more reserved so you’re not quite sure, and
hard, believe me, until that first night,” he says. “And then
then over time you realize what a force she is. As we shot, I tried to leave
it clicked, and Sam yelled, ‘Action.’ It felt crazy, and I’m
it at a moment where I knew the other actor was going to go back to their
not sure I want to do that again. I would like to know,
hotel room, and go to sleep thinking, I can’t let her win, so I have to bring it
before I get in there. But this was so unique, and I
tomorrow. Both of them have this competitive edge to them, but they also
didn’t know.”
root for one another, so I wanted them to have to constantly feel like they’re
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D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
He found ways to place himself into the
COU RTESY OF N E T F LI X
port built there.”
scenes. A standout running back at Morehouse, with a brief stint with the
were so many words, the pages kept building,” says Washington, who says he
Rams, Washington displayed some of those moves as he scampered along
found it intimidating. “And then add the movement… In an early monologue, I
a windowsill and moved gracefully from room to room, and he channeled his
am circling and doing all these things. But as an actor, this is what I wanted. It
famous family into one of the film’s most touching scenes.
is what I needed. It is how I would love to work. When you get to say words like
“The bathtub sequence,” he says. “I don’t like to push for emotion, and I didn’t have to because the words had me under a spell. A quiet moment, and
this, the pressure is on you to trust it.” As much as Washington wondered if he would ever get the right handle
I wasn’t myself, I felt like I was representing people related to me. I was rep-
on his character, Levinson went through his own crisis of conscience as the
resenting the love and bond of my parents, in that poetic moment where he
footage started coming back. After rehearsal, as cameras started rolling on
confesses his love to her, and I tapped into the true, unconditional love I saw
the first of 10 planned shooting days, he and cinematographer Marcell Rév
in my grandparents. I would love to be able to say those words to somebody I
had an approach. “Marcell and I wanted to go into this movie with a slightly
love someday. But I don’t have the penmanship that Sam has.”
more formal idea in terms of how we would approach it. All dolly work. We
While Zendaya has shown her range in her series and the Spider-Man films, she breaks new ground here in a very adult role. She said she was most gratified by not just being the actress, but being able to help shape the char-
had certain references in mind like Bunny Lake Is Missing, by [Otto] Preminger. That very well-choreographed look.” They shot all day, with no AD or script supervisor in the pared-down crew. At the end of the day, they looked at what they’d shot; some 30 takes. “I’m
acter and the whole film. “What was cool about my relationship with Sam is, he wrote it with me as
looking at Marcell and I can tell we’re both not feeling great,” Levinson recalls.
the woman he’s grown to know, in front of his eyes, but still I’m very differ-
He told Rév he felt the whole thing looked like a whiskey commercial. “It was
ent from Marie and don’t handle things the way she does,” she notes. “Sam
too clean, not enough life in it.” So, they threw it all away.
writes female characters that are so layered and flawed and conflicted,
“The biggest challenge was how to shoot a film that was very dialogue
but who have such depth to them. I might say, ‘Well I would never do that, I
heavy, very emotional, and make sure there was a progression to it dramati-
would never say that, or go there,’ but that’s the point of doing it. I’m existing
cally, and that it didn’t just end up being two people screaming at each other,”
through this character. Also, it’s fun to have a character you can dig into and
Levinson says. “How do you shoot in a way where the house doesn’t begin to
the more you dig, the more layers you find.”
feel tired, and it doesn’t just feel like two heads in a room? We had to figure
She cares for Malcolm and Marie. “I liked that they had the relationship
out how to block it in a way that allowed us to highlight the performances,
they do, even though even now, I am still conflicted over whether they should
and to allow for a minute and-a-half stretch without a cut, and be moving
be together or not,” she says. “I see a romance and a beauty to their relationship, but it can also be so dark and awful, happening back and forth the way that probably a lot of people watching it will recognize. I felt that way when we were shooting, and it was hard for me, that conflict, that indecisiveness, the, ‘I don’t know how I feel about this.’ Ironically, these characters are the opposite of black and white.” The scenes between them sometimes encompass pages of dialogue that were accomplished in single long takes. “There
and dancing with them.” On the second day of shooting, they decided to try shooting again handheld. “We wanted everything to be messy, to have a certain life to it.” This meant leveling with the actors that all their work of the previous day would be thrown away. “They got on board, and we shot the whole day handheld. That whole opening scene.” By the end of the day, dread was setting in. “An hour before we’re supposed to wrap, I’m looking at Marcell and he’s got a 1000-foot mag on his shoulder, he’s drenched in sweat, he’s lost 10 pounds and I’m shaking my head and so is he. We get to the car and I say, ‘Marcell, there’s no design
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
37
Rév told him he completely agreed but wasn’t sure what they should do. “We couldn’t
dancing, and that shot continues and then
their blood, sweat and tears into making these
she’s outside smoking, and it’s all one scene.”
films—don’t really see this level of compensa-
That style lends the film cinematic gravitas,
tion and ownership in something they put so
just move on because we were shooting every-
a jazzy cool feel that plays to the power of its
much into. They took a risk being there with us
thing in order,” says Levinson. The realization of
leads. You understand how difficult Washington
and we all felt they should be compensated
another wasted day of shooting hit hard.
would have been to tackle when he wore shoul-
in such a way. Hopefully, maybe this can help
der pads as the former running back leaps cat-
change the model a little bit in the future. I was
the house to be the third character in the two-
like atop a windowsill, or dances in the kitchen,
grateful to be a part of that. It has been a tough
hander. The style asserts itself in the opening
giving Malcolm a physical aura to offset that of
time for so many people and we were also
moments. When the couple returns from the
Zendaya’s Marie, whose character reveals her-
able to carve out points that went to Feeding
movie premiere, she fixes him some instant
self over the course of the drama and the brutal
America, which was huge. We put this movie
macaroni and cheese, and she becomes frosty
emotional revelations to come.
together out of our pockets and were able to do
The eureka moment that followed allowed
as he tucks into his victory meal. “We set up
Levinson credits Zendaya and Washington
pretty well with it. And we were able to look out
outside the next day, for that tracking shot from
with allowing him to find that look, even if it
for other people who haven’t been as fortunate
the bathroom as he’s coming in, dancing to the
took scrapping one-fifth of the original planned
as we are. I’m proud of the movie, but especially
music,” Levinson continues. “It was supposed
10-day shoot (they found the extra cash to
the way it was made. You often don’t get to say
to be a connective piece. I realized that in that
shoot four more days). “This was not normal,”
something like that.”
moment, you can see the world of the house
he says. “If this was a regular production, I most
and that Malcolm is in one universe and Marie
likely would have been fired. But because every-
result. “The quality of this film speaks to how
is in another universe and there’s this separa-
one was putting their own money into it, there
it was made, and how so many in the business
tion. Clearly, she’s not having the night that he’s
was even then a certain amount of trust we had
contributed,” he says. “I was proud to see an
having. I said to Marcell, ‘This is it. This is how
in one another. We were figuring this out as we
African-American stills photographer there; I
we should shoot this whole scene.’ He said, ‘I
went along. Throughout the piece, that became
think I’ve seen maybe two in the history of my
don’t disagree, but we have an hour before the
the nature of it. We’d shoot a scene and if
short career. Ashley Levinson, Katia Washing-
sun comes up.’”
things weren’t clicking, we’d come back and
ton, Zendaya, the producers, it was diverse,
Washington felt the same about the end
reshoot it the next day. It was a ton of dialogue,
and everybody’s ideas counted. This was proof
they stole in that final hour of their second day.
a lot on the performers just on an emotional
positive that you can pick the right people, get
With a single key grip, Jeff Kunkel, and with the
level. We just had to figure it out together and
along and make something viable, and that can
help of Katia Washington and Ashley Levinson,
we were always mindful of trying to understand
appeal to the masses. That’s very encouraging
the director and cinematographer laid down a
how the movie would fit together.”
moving forward.”
The shot that now opens the film is the shot
dolly track. Levinson explained the choreogra-
All three—Levinson, Zendaya and Wash-
He remembers watching Zendaya deliver a
phy of the scene to Zendaya and John David,
ington—say they felt the effort was validated
thank you speech in the movie. “I was just sit-
and they rolled camera. “The last take, we had
by the auction last fall, which made the film
ting there watching this performance from this
one foot in the mag, and I’m going, ‘Grab the
immediately profitable and brought owner-
person and it was so impactful,” says Washing-
macaroni!’ She does, and we roll out from there
ship checks to all involved. “It’s crazy that
ton. “I think people will not be ready when they
and that’s how that seven-minute take ended
more films aren’t made this way,” Zendaya
see Zendaya this way, in those moments. Those
up in the piece. She’s in the bathroom and JD’s
says. “Crews—all the people who literally put
moments really hit home.” ★
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COU RT ESY OF N E TF L IX
here, it’s a mess. This isn’t working either.’”
People will not be ready when they see Zendaya this way, in those moments. Those moments really hit home. - JOHN DAVID WASHINGTON
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BULGARIA, A SMALL EASTERN EUROPEAN COUNTRY OF 7 MILLION, IS HAVING A MOMENT. For only the second time, Bulgarian is a main spoken language in a big Hollywood film. Joining 2004’s The Terminal is Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm, and Bulgarian is the language spoken by Borat’s daughter Tutar, played by Maria Bakalova in one of the breakout performances of 2020. The comedy has catapulted the unknown Bulgarian actress into global superstardom and major awards contention, with a slew of year-end awards to her name already. Bakalova, 24, also has a small part in the Bulgarian Oscar entry, The Father, giving a visibility boost to the Karlovy Vary-winning title. What’s more, The Father and its directors contributed to Bakalova’s big break in Borat 2. In a Zoom chat conducted in their native tongue, Bakalova (whose last name is pronounced bah-KAH-loh-vah) shares her Cinderella story with Deadline’s Co-Editorin-Chief, Nellie Andreeva, as well as the best, hardest, and scariest moments from her work on Borat. 40
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
PHOTOGRAPH BY
Michael Buckner
“I want more.”
“Because it tackles a global problem; the problem of communication in the
That was the theme of Maria Bakalova’s monologue in her 2019 graduate
age of mobile devices that have become handy during the Covid quarantine,
Film Arts. Just weeks later, she would self-tape an audition for a mystery casting call that would change her life.
but that have also destroyed our ability to have a real conversation.” The Father has won a number of national and international awards, including the Crystal Globe at the Karlovy Vary film festival. Nancy Bishop, the
Growing up in the town of Burgas on the Black Sea, Bakalova’s first love
casting director for Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm, saw the movie and noticed
was music, and she took singing and flute lessons. By the time she was around
Bakalova. As she sought a performer to play Borat’s daughter, Tutar, she had
12 or 13, that was no longer enough, and she expanded into acting.
already reached out to Shadow and Bone star Julian Kostov, a Bulgarian actor
At the performing arts high school in her hometown, where she majored
who has achieved success in the U.K. and the U.S., and had asked him to
in acting and minored in flute, she started doodling the Hollywood sign on her
assist in finding young Bulgarian actresses to audition. Bakalova didn’t know
desk, and jotted down thoughts about moving to LA in her notebooks.
Kostov then, but they became friends and are now producing partners.
“I started dreaming that I was arriving in Los Angeles, rolling my suitcase
Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm was, at that time, a project shrouded in
down those iconic palm tree-lined streets, with the Hollywood sign in the
secrecy. The casting call for the mysterious comedy movie was the talk of the
background, and I was telling myself, ‘I’m going to be a great movie star
party at the graduation bash for the Class of 2019 at the Bulgarian Academy.
someday,’” recalls Bakalova, quoting Marilyn Monroe.
Virtually all the girls in Bakalova’s class had sent in audition tapes—along with
But as she entered her late teens, reality set in. “I told myself, these are
the required NDAs—and were awaiting a response. But not Bakalova. She was
just childhood dreams. There haven’t been any big Hollywood stars from
skeptical about the project, and
Eastern Europe.” She tore off the pages with her Hollywood plans, and erased
suspected something nefarious,
the drawings from her desk. She shifted focus to European cinema, where a
like human trafficking.
successful career seemed more attainable, and became a fan, particularly, of Danish films. While the big screen had always been Bakalova’s goal, acting training in
Mostly out of peer pressure— “Well, I’m not going to be the only one who didn’t audition,”—
Bulgaria is traditionally geared heavily towards theater. A lot of what she did
Bakalova recorded herself when
learn about movie acting, that helped her give the performance in Borat, she
she got home from the party at
owes to The Father’s directors Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov, two
around 5AM. On call for a movie
of the top Bulgarian filmmakers of the past decade. They taught the only
shoot later that morning, she
film acting class at the Academy, and Bakalova loved it so much that she
had time to do only two takes.
volunteered to help Grozeva and Valchanov with scheduling and other tasks
It was a challenge for her to
so that she could attend each week, not only when it was her turn to perform.
overcome her fear of speaking
She even travelled with them to the set of a film the pair were directing and
in English, and the feelings of
rendered PA services for free just so she could watch and learn.
insecurity about her Bulgarian
So, when one of the directors called her in her third year at the Academy to
accent, something at the time
invite her to audition for a very small part in their new movie, The Father, about
she considered an insurmount-
a grieving patriarch reconnecting with his son after the sudden death of his
able obstacle to a Hollywood
wife, Bakalova was ecstatic.
acting career. She would stay up
She landed the part and filmed her brief scene as the wife in a flashback as a young TV actress. Bakalova wants people to watch The Father, she says,
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all night watching the Oscars live every year, telling herself, “God,
M A RI A BA KA LOVA P E RSO NA L COL LECTI O N /A M AZON ST UD I OS
performance showcase at the Bulgarian National Academy for Theater and
subsequent—in-person auditions, in which she was asked to improvise discovering all sorts of modern civilization amenities; seeing an AC unit, a door, a ceiling for the first time; trying to use a sink as a toilet; splashing her face with water from the toilet; eating fish from an aquarium. There was one serendipitous moment from the first meeting. Bakalova, who had not seen the original Borat movie, was asked to act out having “a string in her brain that strains and pops”, a line Baron Cohen’s Borat uses in the movie’s babysitter scene. She belted out the song “Ederlezi” to everyone’s surprise; she had no idea that the popular Balkan Romani folk song had served as the love theme in the first movie. While she admits that she did a “a lot of crazy things” during the auditions and in the movie, she says, “I was ready to do anything. Even now I am ready to do anything, and maybe that comes out of my desire to be an actress. There were many risky moments during production, but we are actors, and art is above all.” Those risky moments included filming at the pro-gun March for Our Rights, where Baron Cohen was chased off the stage after leading attendees in a racist singalong. Bakalova was at the rally as a TV news reporter interviewing participants, and Baron Cohen’s lyrics actually referenced her and pinpointed her location in the crowd. “It was pretty scary,” Bakalova says of their swift getaway in the news van. She admits, too, to feeling pressure heading into the interview with Donald Trump’s lawyer Rudy Giuliani, recognizing the importance of the scene for the movie, which had a limited time to shoot a finale because Baron Cohen was determined to release the movie on October 23, before the Presidential election in November. Her preparation including researching, in great detail, Giuliani’s career, but it also involved coming up with plans for what to do if Baron Cohen couldn’t emerge from his hiding place in the closet; she studied exit routes and memorized the locations of the production’s security guards. Acting out outrageous stunts in unpredictable situations with unsuspecting regular people was not easy; Bakalova recalled a panic attack she had FIRST DAUGHTER Left: Maria Bakalova by the Black Sea in her hometown of Burgas, Bulgaria, circa 2014-15. This page: Bakalova as Tutar with Sacha Baron Cohen as Borat in Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm.
before her first big solo scene without Baron Cohen by her side when she, as Tutar, had to give a speech about masturbation at the Hillsborough Republican Women’s Club Meeting. Also challenging were her multi-language dialogues with Baron Cohen. In the movie, Bakalova speaks in her native Bulgarian, while he speaks Hebrew and a little bit of Polish. Neither of them understood a word the other was saying. And yet, they had meaningful conversations not only when alone but
why wasn’t I born in an English-speaking country so I could have a shot at being there?” She has since accepted speaking with an accent. “It’s part of who you are,” she says now. “Part of your ethnic background, and not something to be ashamed of.” A year later, and Bakalova marked the anniversary of her audition with an
also in front of other people. The key was having a lot of rehearsals in English, so when they did a scene, she says, “You know what the conversation is about; I don’t understand what he is saying but I have the script playing in my head.” It was a line by Bakalova—“Glytnah bebeto” (I swallowed the baby)—which became emblematic of the movie and memorized by fans across the globe.
Instagram post from the house in Los Angeles where she was quarantining
In addition to being part of a funny gag, Bakalova attributes the catchphrase’s
while filming Borat: Subsequent Moviefilm. Just as she’d dreamed, it had a view
popularity to what happens after Tutar swallows the plastic baby, “the very
of the Hollywood sign. In a post written in Bulgarian, Bakalova chronicled her
important issue about a woman’s right to choose.”
journey from making the tape as a joke, through the “scary” trip to London
That scene was part of the film’s female empowerment storyline, and its
for the in-person audition, to working on what she called, “The greatest and
surprisingly emotional punch that was delivered by Bakalova, showing the
funniest movie. EVER.” She included a video (with no sound) of that fateful
range of her acting abilities, as well as unsuspecting contributors like holo-
first audition.
caust survivor Judith Dim Evans and babysitter Janice Jones, who were part of
What made her trip to London scary were her lingering fears about trafficking. Because there was such deep secrecy surrounding the movie, she
Bakalova’s favorite moments in the movie. Working with CAA, Bakalova is now plotting her Borat follow-up. Her “Dan-
was so afraid she could be raped, killed, or have her organs harvested that she
ish dream” is still very much alive, so she could head to the land of Hamlet
concocted a plan, asking Kostov to wait outside when she walked into the first
next. But as Bakalova is adjusting to the limelight, the biggest gift for her
audition with Sacha Baron Cohen and his team, telling him that she would be
has been opening the door for Balkan and other underrepresented Eastern
recording the encounter on her phone and, if things got hairy, she would slide
European actors in Hollywood, she says.
it under the door for him to use it as evidence. Of course, none of that happened, and she aced her first—and
“That has been the most gratifying thing, giving people hope that it is possible. That if you give it your all, it could happen to you. Why not?” ★
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The B est O f 2020 | D irectors
Chloé Zhao With Nomadland, the spirited director works with professional actors for the first time, but finds just as much human truth B Y J O E U T I C H I
★
★
★
★
Chloé Zhao has made three feature films to date, each of them blending narrative storytelling with non-fiction. Her debut, Songs My Brothers Taught Me, told the story of Native American siblings struggling to find their place in a changing world. The Rider cast cowboy Brady Jandreau as a version of himself, reliving the true story of his near-fatal head injury. And while her new film, Nomadland, casts professional actors like Frances McDormand and David Strathairn for the first time, it rounds out its ensemble with real ‘Nomads’; people who have taken to living in camper vans in what would be their retirement, forced instead to seek itinerant labor around the country to make ends meet. All three films deal with survival and identity, and each of them packs an emotional punch that hits with greater fervor because of the lines Zhao blurs between fact and fiction. Based on Jessica Bruder’s non-fiction book about the Nomads, and the changing face of the America that they inhabit, Nomadland confirms Zhao as one of modern cinema’s most exciting new voices. 44 6 D DE EAADDLLI INNEE. .CCOO MM // AA W WAARRDDSSLLI INNEE
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★
At the Indie Spirits a few years
away, like the town of Empire. Maybe
nation that only opened its doors
ago, you and Frances McDormand
that’s where the romanticism comes
recently because it was so very self-
referenced one another in your
in, because I don’t go in thinking I
sustaining. I always joke that I’m a
speeches; how deep into this pro-
want to examine an issue or make a
descendent of rice farmers—and in
cess were you at that point?
statement; I’m always trying to look
rice farming, you cultivate the land
We’d met right before that. We
through the perspective of someone
over and over in one place—and then
knew we wanted to work together,
who loves a place like this, and this
I found myself making films about
and emotions were high, so we just
way of life. It was the same with Brady
people that prefer to be hunter-
decided to give one another a shout-
with the horses and being a cowboy
gatherers or ranchers and move a lot.
out [laughs]. I’d read the book by then.
in The Rider.
In America, thanks to the highway
What grabbed you about it?
Your films blend narrative fiction
ment. And I think it’s just something
Initially it was the world that Jes-
with real people, real worlds, in
that you didn’t experience when you
sica had captured. It was a time in
a fascinating way. How does the
were young that you want to try to
America when a way of life was fast
script come together when you’re
understand. It’s a curiosity.
disappearing, and she had captured
folding so many of these real ele-
that with a chapter on Empire,
ments together?
As an outsider in America myself,
Nevada, a chapter on quartzite, a
At the same time that I’m trying to
I wonder if you feel that coming to
chapter on the Amazon warehouse.
figure out who Fern is, based on the
America from a different culture
She really managed to capture a
stories in the book, we’re also trying
gives you a particular viewpoint
time. So, the worldbuilding of her
to work out which of the Nomads
that allows you to examine it in a
book was attractive to me. Thinking
can be in the film, who wants to be
fresh way.
about these unique characters within
in the film, and what that will do for
I think it’s how you make films. You
that visual world, I realized I had never
the locations. Everything happens
can make films from inside yourself
really explored the world through
simultaneously, because once we
and put that out there or go out into
an older person’s perspective. And
meet someone like Swankie, we real-
the world and bring it to you. So, out
I felt the urgency of it, too. It said a
ize she has to be in the film, and that
of necessity, yes, I’m coming into a
lot about a time in this country that I
informs the journey that Fern is going
community that’s not my own. And
felt I wanted to capture before it was
to take. Eventually I drew a map of
you have to try harder to put yourself
gone. Before it was too late.
Fern’s journey, which the producers
in their shoes and figure out… how do
system, the society is built on move-
could use to work on the film; the
they see a sunset? Because how I see
That sense of a disappearing way
locations we’ll travel to, the towns
a sunset is very different. The choices
of life has run through your work.
Fern will visit. So, we knew we wanted
you make—in the script, in the editing,
You balance a real melancholic
to cover almost all of the landscapes
in the music—have to be informed by
truth, though, with a certain
in the American West. The only ones
trying to capture an authentic, emo-
sense of romance for the worlds
that we didn’t really cover were the
tional truth that these people feel in
you capture. It strikes me that you
canyons and maybe the Rockies.
these moments in their lives. And I
feel simpatico with the kind of
ROAMING Chloé Zhao, right, and Frances McDormand on the set of Nomadland.
think you’re right; because it’s not my
resolve it takes for people to per-
You’ve made three feature films
own truth, maybe just instinctually
severe with their way of life while
that all explore aspects of Ameri-
I start with more of a reverence for
the odds get stacked against
cana. What did America mean to
understanding a person in that world,
them. Is that a fair assessment?
you, growing up in China?
that rather than imposing myself on
I think so. I think it comes instinctually
I moved to America for senior year of
what a character should be.
to all of us who want to tell stories
high school, and when I arrived, it was
Identity fascinates me. When you
for a living. I think there’s a gut feeling
the pop culture, because that’s what I
look at young people in America, you
towards the kind of stories that draw
was exposed to in China. It was music
see them taking up these cultural
us. I’ll pass through a small town in
more than movies, really. It was musi-
identities. A cowboy. A gang mem-
Nebraska that has a population of
cians. I landed in Downtown LA in
ber. And especially with kids in the
18 people, which used to be a popu-
1999 with very little understanding of
heartland, I think there’s a fishbowl
lar railroad town until the railroad
how America worked, and I definitely
situation there that I felt when I was
stopped, and all I want to do is try
got a handful; more than I could han-
young as well, growing up in China. I
to figure out from those people how
dle [laughs]. I just didn’t understand
knew what was outside, but I couldn’t
they would want to be remembered if
the relationships between people,
quite leave. So, when the fishbowl is
their town were to disappear entirely.
race, identity, class. So many things.
covered, that’s one story, but when
That impulse still drives me.
So, then I dived in real hard for my
you lift it up—when the internet and
senior year of high school, and then
social media move in—something
ness, anyway, of recording things;
four years in college studying Ameri-
happens to the younger generation
of recording time and recording
can politics. That was my focus.
where they have to define them-
I come from a people that
selves beyond, “I’m a coal miner’s
As storytellers, we’re in the busi-
people. And, for me, I’m interested in those things that are about to go
were very stationary and built a
son.” It’s not enough anymore, and
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they start questioning who they are.
I read that Warren Buffett still lives
I also think all countries around the
online and find minimalist living shop-
in the house he bought for $31,500
ping websites. It becomes a trend; the
world are becoming more nationalistic
in 1958. The reason I mention it is
eco trend. Capitalism’s arms then just
as the world shrinks. It’s important to
because I don’t believe the capitalist
reach into everything.
hold onto some kind of identity, especially for a young country like America. That need to feel American is very strong for a lot of folks. What’s the future for towns like Empire, Nevada? Well, actually, Empire is coming back. Even when we were shooting there it was tough because everything was back up and running. A more innovative company, doing a different kind of mining, took over. And it’s not a big national like United States Gypsum. You see that in small towns all over. A lot of business died. I travel to tiny little towns in Colorado, and all of a sudden there’s like a hipster glutenfree artisan bakery that pops up in the middle of nowhere. Or a little gallery or something. It’s really interesting. Even after everything that has happened since 2008, it’s hard to completely kill off a way of life. People do persevere. It’s interesting to wonder how they fit into a world that seems determined to
It really is about training your mind to want less. That’s the only way to happiness. It’s the same with success in any industry. You have to train your mind not to enjoy success, because if you start enjoying it, it's over for you.
economy can slow down, because if
That’s the same in van life. You
it goes the way it is, it needs people
don’t even need a big trailer for half
to want things to keep going. And the
a million dollars. You can find a small
moment that people stop wanting
Mercedes van that’s still got everything
things it’s going to collapse, and then
packed inside. Tesla’s probably making
everyone’s going to freak out. “I’m
them right now; self-driving vans. But
going to starve to death,” right?
what do you do when it breaks down?
But the truth is, you can never really
It really is about trying to train our
be happy, because happiness is not
minds to want less. That’s the only way
an ultimate thing. Happiness is when
to happiness. I know it’s such a para-
your expectations are met with reality.
dox, and it’s depressing to acknowl-
If your expectation is constantly fed
edge it. But it’s the same with success
by the capitalist economy for its own
in any industry. You have to train your
survival, that you always need more,
mind not to enjoy success, because if
then you can never be as satisfied as
you start enjoying it, it’s over for you.
the medieval farmer was satisfied with
I’m training myself every day as we
his piece of bread.
speak [laughs].
So, what these young kids and the Nomads are exploring is the idea of
Speaking of feeding the capitalist
making their satisfaction level with
beast, you open the film with Fern
their expectation of what they need to
going to work inside the Amazon
be happy at a minimal level. So that no
factory. And while it’s not a hyper-
matter what happens with the outside
critical view, you do acknowledge
world, or how much gets taken from
that it’s hard work. How did you get
them, they will be happy with that
them on board to allow you inside?
piece of bread.
Well, two things. One, we got in because
We went so far, so quick, that I think
Fran wrote a letter and asked, and they
it did make everyone go, “Wait, we’re
said yes. And it’s pretty shocking they
not happy. We’re killing ourselves.” So,
said yes, because they didn’t really
people are starting to drop out and go,
stop me from doing anything when I
“That doesn’t work, what if I…” Warren
was there. I was shooting it and I could
Buffett lives like that; it doesn’t mat-
have edited it in whichever way I chose;
ter if he loses everything tomorrow,
included a voiceover and some scary
there some problem with what we’re
he is already happy with that $31,500
music. I could have done whatever
doing and how we live?
reject them. I think, actually, the even bigger question is, what are they trying to fit into? If the thing they’re trying to fit into is us—how we live in the big cities—is
house. And this may be a bit stoic or
I wanted. But I shot and treated the
I think we all need to come back
Buddist, but that’s kind of the way it
scenes at Amazon no differently from
into the middle, and not just politically,
is now. The people who define their
how I shot and treated the scenes
because we’ve been going way too
happiness based on things that aren’t
when she’s shoveling beets in Nebraska.
fast, with what we’re doing to animals,
really real are lost in the middle of this
In fact, she’d have been making less
to our planet, and to ourselves. There
pandemic, as opposed to the people
money, working longer hours, in consid-
are more suicides in big cities than
who are happy with what they have.
erably more dangerous and cold condi-
there have ever been in the history of
tions than she does at Amazon.
humanity. The most technologically
In Nomadland, you have a scene
developed countries usually have the
where Fern and the Nomads look
esting how we don’t talk about it, is
least happy people. And I think the
at those ultra-luxury RVs. So, even
the real problem is elder care. Why are
answer might not be them just fit-
for them, those capitalist norms
people of Fern’s generation going to
ting into this speed we’re all going at,
are still buried somewhere.
work at Amazon, or shoveling beets,
but for us all to slow down a bit. Now,
Well, that’s the thing about the capi-
or scrubbing toilets in national parks?
because I’m pessimistic about it, I
talist economy, is that it’ll always find
This is working class, manual labor.
don’t think we can slow down. But we
a way into your ideologies. Look, with
Back then it was agricultural, and now
should try to think about that at least.
minimalism, and van life, that lifestyle
it’s manufacturing. And for younger
can very easily go from trying to have
people, you get it; it’s the modern real-
Perhaps the Nomads know
less—to be frugal—to ultimately pur-
ity of working-class life. But the bigger
what’s up.
chasing the most expensive minimal-
question is why an elder has to be
Right. And young people are turning to
istic thing you can because you think
doing something like that. To me, that’s
this life, too. Millennials.
it’s going to last longer. You can go
something less sexy to talk about.
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The other thing, and it’s very inter-
It’s so simplistic to say, “Amazon is
How you treat elders shows how
the ultimate evil. If we get rid of Amazon, it will be great.” But if you get rid of Amazon, then they’ll have to shovel
plastic surgery if we stop thinking of
beets. They still don’t have enough
growing older as a problem. It’s actu-
that my first experience with a profes-
social security. Their pensions are
ally a path to wisdom that will make us
sional actor was with someone who
How does that manifest on set?
gone. And we still throw them away
human. In our own industry, we need to
was willing—whether it was difficult for
Given the emotion of some of the
during the pandemic and think their
look at how we contribute to that. And
her or not—to step out of her comfort
moments that go very, very deep
lives don’t matter. It’s not a sexy topic
in a country that lives and breathes this
zone and be completely open and
in this film, when you’re asking
to talk about.
kind of capitalistic individualism, we
vulnerable in those moments you see
for such personal truth, does that
really need to look at that.
on screen. It doesn’t matter how much
bleed offscreen sometimes?
training you have, or how exception-
It can be hard when we call cut. It is
So, that’s really what I wanted to
important. She’s a true artist in that
give themselves completely in front
your society is. Culturally, that has to
way. So, as producers, she and I have
of the camera in the same way non-
change. There’ll be fewer people getting
that understanding.
professional actors give themselves.
S E ARC H LI G H T P I CT U RES
focus on. And also, so many of them
As an actress, I feel incredibly lucky
And that’s what Fran did.
got started in this lifestyle, after 2008,
Frances McDormand has bucked
ally talented you are, or how much you
hard. I think for Fran it was very hard,
because of that Amazon opportunity.
those trends. As a woman in an
buy into the method. All that stuff is
because when you open yourself up
Without it, they couldn’t have got going.
industry that, as you say, empha-
incredible, and I respect the craft. But
like that, even when you call cut, life
There are just no job options for them.
sizes the pursuit of youth to an
the cinema that really draws me is the
is still happening. She wasn’t even
unhealthy extreme, she has led by
type where, in that moment on screen,
protected on Nomadland by trailers
Since it clearly needs stating, time
example and been unapologetic
none of that matters; that all has to
and assistants and all of that. She was
and again, what do you think the
about growing older and wearing
go. Are you truthful in that moment of
absorbing life at all times. That’s why
solutions are?
her wisdom on screen. This is the
connecting with another human being
we drank a lot of tequila and played
Well, look at other countries. It’s not
first time you’ve worked with pro-
on camera? And Fran, aided by every-
boardgames in motel lobbies every
impossible. Capitalist culture empha-
fessional actors. How would you
thing that she has experienced and
night [laughs].
sizes the importance of youth, of
describe the collaboration with
learned, is able to throw it all away in
excessive spending, of productivity.
her, as an actress and a producer?
the moment and just react.
And if you focus on that, then you will
There are two parts to that answer.
It sounds so obvious, but it’s so
think older people are less important
The first is, you mentioned women.
incredibly difficult to be vulnerable
It isn’t just about going out there and
than young people, even though in
I think where Fran and I connected
enough for it to be real, and to allow a
pretending. She wants to live it, to feel
many societies, elders are consid-
was on what I love about her, which
side of yourself to come out, because
it. She’s just that kind of actress. And
ered the most important members
is that she doesn’t just talk, she does
there are people that will hold them-
they’re exactly the kind I want to work
because they carry wisdom. They carry
the work. She does lead by example,
selves in so much. They don’t want to
with, because they live life with this
life lessons on how to be with others,
and that, to me, is so important. She
give you themselves. They will give you
vigor. They want to feel, they want to
on the mistakes they’ve learned from,
doesn’t let the talk influence her work.
their craft, but not themselves. And I
connect with others. I really hope I get
that they teach and pass down to
She’s true to her work as a person, and
can’t make films that way, I’ve learned.
a chance to work with more actors
younger people.
not just a woman, and that, to me, is
I need to work with actors who will
like that. ★
But again, and I think it’s why we connected in that way, that’s how she wants to live. She wants to live her art.
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T h e B est O f 2 02 0 | D irectors
Aaron Sorkin With The Trial of the Chicago 7, the writer and director recreates a timely tale of protest amidst racial injustice and political corruption B Y A N T H O N Y D ’A L E S S A N D R O
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If you want to speak truth to power, then write a story. That was Aaron Sorkin’s message at the 2017 WGA Awards when he picked up his Paddy Chayefsky honor. In his speech, he took aim at immigration and climate change policies, among other issues. So, it’s no shock to see him address our freedoms with his Netflix film, The Trial of the Chicago 7. The movie follows protestors, including Tom Hayden and Abbie Hoffman, who were charged with inciting a riot during the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Steven Spielberg first assigned Sorkin to write the story, and the 2020 election hastened Sorkin to finally make the movie.
How does it feel to have this film
all, Donald Trump did exactly what
somewhere between 20 and 30
for a dramatist, an incredible secret
be be a part of the conversation
the Chicago 7 were on trial for. He
drafts of the script. At no point
to have in your pocket that you can
in the wake of everything that
incited a riot. Not just a riot, an
was I rewriting so that the script
release in the third act.
went on in January, including the
insurrection. Let’s be clear, this
would mirror what was going on in
swearing in of Joe Biden as our
wasn’t a protest that went wrong.
the world. The opposite was hap-
Abbie Hoffman was known for
new President?
It was an attack on the U.S. Capitol.
pening. The events were suddenly
his sarcasm and threatened to
I watched what happened on Janu-
They did what they went there to
mirroring what was going on in the
put LSD in Chicago’s water sup-
ary 6, horrified, like everyone else.
do. I was struck by that in terms of
script. I was just trying to make
ply to protest the Vietnam war.
Horrified by what I was seeing and
how this relates to the movie. I think
the screenplay better with each
The movie portrays him rather
how it was enabled by the President
that the obvious parallels remain of
pass and more focused. I’ll tell you
coherently and eloquently, espe-
and by powerful leaders like Ted
the protests of the last year, really
about an early eureka moment that
cially when he’s on the stand.
Cruz and Josh Hawley. Then the
since May. Legitimate protests and
never could have happened when
Tell us about that.
inauguration, it was just like a cool
protestors in cities across America
I started this. Tom Hayden was still
I was really struck by the very first
breeze. It was like just having a drink
being met by police violence, riot
alive. I got to spend time with him,
time I saw a piece of news footage
of water after being in a desert for
clubs, and how much it looked like
and there was important stuff I got
from a press conference that Abbie
four years. The sight and the sound
1968, and how much it felt like we
from Hayden that you would not
and Jerry [Rubin] gave early on in
of normalcy. Not just the inaugu-
had just kind of, like a rubber band,
be able to find in any of the many
the trial. They gave a lot of press
ration, but Jen Psaki’s first press
snapped right back to 1968.
books written about the Chicago
conferences, but this one we actu-
briefing; the sight and the sound of
7 or the 21,000-page trial tran-
ally see a moment of in the movie,
questions being answered as best
While the 2020 election was a
script. It was that personal tension
and it’s when Abbie is asked…it’s
they can. Listen, there's plenty of
catalyst to get this movie made,
between Tom and Abbie. But it was
after the whole, would you call
work to do, and there's a long way
what was the eureka moment in
also our that he told me: that he
the whole thing off for $100,000
to go. I love what Amanda Gorman,
your 14-year writing process?
meant to say, “If our blood is going
testimony, which Abbie was jok-
the poet, said: “We’re not broken,
It’s not like I went from a third draft
to spill, let it spill all over the city,”
ing about. “Give me $100,000 and
we’re unfinished.” That idea gives
that wasn’t working to a fourth
which is different from, “If blood is
I’ll call the whole thing off.” In this
you hope.
draft that was what you saw on
going to spill, let it spill all over the
press conference, a reporter kind
the screen. It was a slow pro-
city,” which does sound like a com-
of presses him on that and says
cess, a gradual process of writing
mand to start violence. That was,
“What’s your price?” Abbie asked,
So, what does this all have to do with Chicago 7? Well, first of
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ON THE STREET Sorkin, far right, directs his cast, including Sacha Baron Cohen as Abbie Hoffman and Jeremy Strong as jerry Rubin.
“To call off the revolution?” The
your decision to direct stem at
Being the Ricardos, again, I turned
reporter says, “Yeah.” Abbie says,
all from not wanting to be edited
in the draft and the producer, Todd
“My life.” OK. Watching that during
on this story?
Black and I started meeting with
the research phase for this whole
I’ve had great experiences with the
directors. And then Todd was able
directors that I’ve worked with. I
to see a cut of Chicago 7 and he
haven’t had that Barton Fink experi-
said, “Direct this.” My point is, no, I
ence that screenwriters are known
have not had the ‘director is ruining
for, and I’m not done wanting to
my baby’ experience. Just the oppo-
work with great directors, having
site. My experiences have been, look
that collaboration. With Molly’s
what Danny Boyle, look what Mike
Game, Chicago 7, and now with
Nichols, look what David Fincher,
Being the Ricardos, I still haven’t
look what Tommy Schlamme did
written a screenplay knowing that I
with this thing I wrote.
thing, I suddenly saw, because I had seen tons and tons of footage of Abbie the clown, in this moment, all the clownishness just in an instant, drained from his face and he said, “My life.” It was authentic and it was powerful, and I was very interested in that, interested in Abbie and those moments of transformation. Even in his big blow-up with Tom
was going to direct it. I became the director after I wrote it. It’s never
Do you think there’s a sequel in
been, “I need to protect this script
The Social Network, given every-
from a director.“ A director is my
thing that Mark Zuckerberg has
closest collaborator. With Chicago
experienced since?
7, Steven Spielberg basically threw
There’s no question that there is a
it at my head. He said, “The time
story. Whether you want to call it a
to make this movie is now.” He had
sequel or not, there’s a story there.
seen Molly’s Game, and said, “You
Whether I’m the guy to tell it or not,
should direct it.” And the thing that
I’m not sure. What I mean is right
had been the budget problem for 14
now, I would not be able to write it.
years, the two riot sequences were
I don’t know quite how to tell the
about screenwriters whose work
budget-busters, and he said, “Now
story, and I think it’s probably also
isn’t properly envisioned by the
the riot is your problem.” So, that’s
something I wouldn’t want to do
director who is overseeing it. Did
how that happened. Then with
without David Fincher.
Hayden when he tries to make him understand, “I’ve got to put on all these stunts because we don’t have any money and that’s what gets the cameras there,” I knew that the Abbie Hoffman that people were aware of was a lunatic. I thought COU RT ESY OF N E TF L IX
Obvious parallels remain... Legitimate protests and protesters in cities across America being met by police violence.
that there was a lot of value in showing the contrast. We often hear these stories
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T h e B est O f 2 02 0 | D irectors
Regina King The Oscar-winning actress is a star behind the camera with One Night in Miami B Y N A D I A N E O P H Y T O U
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The film opens not in Miami but
I really appreciated what he did, not
just a play on screen, partly
is color saturation. I love films where
at Wembley Stadium, for the
only because it opened the story up,
thanks to the choices of interiors
filmmakers choose to use palettes
bout with Henry Cooper. It’s how
but it also quickly humanized the
and colors you use. What guided
and tones that are more close to a
we are introduced to as Cassius
four legends. That's the thing that I
you in making these decisions?
time period, that are a little more
Clay, before meeting the others.
think is particularly special or what
A few things. One, the dialogue
muted. But in this case, having a
How did those scenes help you to
connects the audience is they’re
is the star of the film and just so
20-something-year-old [son], I do
begin telling this story?
going in thinking that they're going to
powerful. I felt these conversations
know that they have short atten-
The first draft that I read, that’s how
see a story that is maybe loose biog-
are conversations that we, as Black
tion spans and you have to get their
Kemp [Powers] introduced all of
raphies on the four men and then
people, have been having far before
attention quickly. And that was one
our legends. And it was one of the
they realize, as an audience member,
1964. And the thing that really struck
of the things that crossed my mind.
things that I immediately thought
that they are actually a fly on the wall
me is that the four legends on this
was clever. Before I actually met
for a private conversation between
night were just all so young. So, I
Love, that I just felt was so lush and
with Kemp, I bought the play. After, I
four men, outside of their titles.
really wanted it to appeal to the
so rich. I remember that I had to
younger generation. I felt like one of
go back to watch the film because
read the screenplay just to see what
There's a film, In the Mood for
things he took out, what things he
Kemp adapted his play for the
the things that was a really impor-
I couldn't remember what it was
put in, how he chose to open it up.
film, and it becomes more than
tant way to keep them in it, visually,
about. I remembered, obviously yes,
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COU RT ESY OF A M AZO N ST U D I OS
Regina King has built her award-winning acting career on a rock-solid foundation of memorable roles, and, after a host of small screen directing gigs on shows like Southland, This Is Us and Insecure, her smash directorial feature debut, One Night in Miami—which made its virtual premiere on King’s 50th birthday—shows she’s building just as sturdy a big screen directing career too. The film, adapted from Kemp Powers' stage play, reimagines a night in which four icons meet—Cassius Clay, Jim Brown, Sam Cooke and Malcolm X—and discuss their roles in much-needed societal change.
movement. While we were in a room
particular, I was really lucky in the
for sometimes almost 20 minutes,
fact that [executive producers]
I still didn't want the camera to feel
Chris Chulack and John Wells, and
static, but I didn't want it to be a distraction. And when I explained this to my DP, Tami Reiker, she had the great idea of using jib arms to shoot everything so that we never have a moment where the camera is still, but we don't have that swimmy feeling that you can sometimes with the Steadicam. You also recreate the iconic underwater portrait of Muhammad Ali in color. Was this something you knew you were going to do from the beginning? Yeah, absolutely. We say at the beginning, ‘inspired by true events,’ and that was just an iconic photo. I don't really know many people who haven't seen it, but we always see it in black and white. And I just felt like, wow, this is a powerful way to jump off the story, because that moment comes once we land in Miami, and it's still one of my favorite shots in the film. There's something very soothing about it. In a way, it's the
The dialogue is the star of the film and just so powerful. I felt these conversations are conversations that we, as Black people, have been having far before 1964.
Jimmy Muro and Dana Gonzales, our DPs, were so excited about me wanting to add this hyphenate to my name. They really just opened their arms and their prep process up to me so that I was quickly able to pick up all of these great jewels from artists that I had been working with, and that I really respected... Nelson McCormick was also a director that was very much present in allowing me to see his process. You advocate for gender parity and racial equality in Hollywood. What have you learned there? Well, one, if we're continuing to only employ just a certain group of people, we're missing out on just so much talent. Two, that it's our responsibility to create pipelines. There are a lot of women that are builders and engineers and would be great in the construction department on films, but don't even know that exists. One of the things that I really took
calm before the storm. I say that,
away from the time that I made that
not saying that what comes next is
proclamation on that Golden Globes
dark in any way, but the audience
stage [in 2019] to now, one of the
doesn't know what it's in store for.
things that I realized that I was guilty
You kind of feel like you're going to
of, is that I was speaking of gender
see this film that's about Cassius.
parity and neglecting to acknowl-
And that's kind of the point, the Tro-
edge the fact that gender parity, if
jan horse, you come in thinking one
we are truly speaking about gender
it was a love story, but I remember
thing and you leave with something
parity, is not just male or female, and
the images, that's what stuck with
so much greater.
I'm learning, and I'm understand-
me. So, I felt we could capture the
ing that better now. On the film, if
same energy that I was left with,
When you look back to your first
we were not, as a filmmaking team,
in our film. It would make sense,
directing gig on Southland, what
actively trying to create gender par-
because Black people, we're so col-
did you carry from that? Was
ity, we would not have ended up with
orful. We laugh, we dance, we love,
there something there you were
a crew that predominantly identifies
we smile; even with all of the tragic
eager to learn that's now maybe
as a person of color, or that does
things and violations that have been
second nature to you?
not identify as cis white male. I don't
against us throughout history, we
I feel like I carry things with me from
think that I would have even consid-
still manage to do all those things.
every project that I do, whether it's
ered that I was not being inclusive of
Color also represents that. So that
as an actor or as a director, and in
everyone if I didn't challenge myself
was very clear to me.
the past 10 years or so I've been
to actually achieve gender parity. So,
able to consciously employ those
I understand now that gender parity
his paintings also were inspiration
things. It doesn't matter which one
means a different thing than what I
to capture that energy, and also
I'm doing. So with Southland in
said that night. ★
There's a man, Jacob Lawrence,
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T h e B est O f 2 02 0 | D irectors
WITH THE BAND George C. Wolfe on set with Viola Davis as Ma Rainey and Chadwick Boseman as trumpet player Levee.
George C. Wolfe The renowned playwright and director of stage and screen hits a career breakthrough with Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom B Y S T E V I E W O N G
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What was your first impression of August Wilson’s work? Well, it’s just his language and details about the culture. I saw the original stage version of Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom back in 1984 and one of the things particularly joyful about his work is how actors are enacting it,
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shout, to celebrate, to use language that is glorious and complicated. And as a result of that, all of the production sparkled in this really interesting play, not just because of the language that he wrote, but the relish that actors felt in saying that
COU RT ESY OF N E TF L IX
because they get to strut, they get to
George C. Wolfe has been celebrated for his groundbreaking work on stage as a playwright and director for decades. It was very much a natural shift when he made his way behind the camera on projects like The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and Lackawanna Blues. But in his latest directorial endeavour Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Wolfe not only found joy in bringing the late playwright August Wilson’s work to screen, but he also discovered some new truths in collaborating with an exceptional cast to tell the story of a legendary singer and her band.
language. And that’s the thing that's
all that that entails. And from the
fascinating to me about his work.
abstraction of those early conversa-
ing. And you can’t search if you say
tions, you see that unbelievably bril-
you already know it. One of the
liantly manifested in her work.
things that [director of photography]
Everyone always talks about the language of August Wilson, how
Viola was also interested in the
would you describe it to someone
fact that the film is set in 1927 and
who’s never experienced it?
Ma Rainey never recorded after 1928.
You don’t describe it. You see it and
So, in essence, you see a person
find yourselves inside the language
who is realizing that the peak of her
and discover the truths inside of
career has passed, and the conse-
it. So, you don’t describe it, you
quences of that.
embody it so that everyone can feel
So, you have these conversations
free to connect to who they are and
with her, and she’s exploring these
find something exhilarating inside of
truths, and then you see it mani-
the storytelling.
fested in how she sits and talks and holds her head, how the philosophy
Does that feeling extend to
of one moment can give way to the
directing his work?
fragility of another one.
My job is not to be enthralled. My job is to animate a world and make
That must have really been a joy
it live. So, it’s just fun. It was fun
to observe.
just working with people who were
It’s just fascinating watching this
incredible craftspeople. We had a
consummate artist at work. You
two-week rehearsal in which we
can’t wear your accomplishments
would dig in and get at the mate-
when you’re doing a new role. All
rial, and the truth that was going on
you can do is try to make yourself as
inside of it, and try to animate it and
available as you possibly can to the
elevate it and excavate it, and try to
role, and part of that journey is the
find as much stuff that was inside.
not knowing. One of the most crucial
It’s great when there's wonderful
aspects of doing good work is giving
language and character and detail.
yourself permission to discover that which you don't know.
How did Viola Davis approach
All really good actors are search-
Viola is an extraordinary artist because she’s ferociously smart about text and about human behavior... Inside her is this deep, powerful, emotional reserve.
Tobias [Schliessler] said to me was, “The film takes place in that band room and I’m not sure how to shoot it.” And I said to him, “If you knew how to shoot it, then you shouldn't do the movie.” Doing any good project is confronting the things that you don't know how to do so that you can figure them out. What was it like to show this film to August's wife Constanza? Was that screening stressful? What you going to do? I mean, it’s done [laughs]. We did a screening in this beautiful deco theater in Atlanta. And she was very excited and happy. She said it felt like August and I were talking the entire time while I was directing it, which was a really sweet thing to say. I was really thrilled. Producers Denzel Washington and Todd Black want to make all of August Wilson's plays for the screen. Have you discussed directing any more with them? Denzel would love for me to do something else, but there are 10
this material?
Did you see that element in Chad-
plays and so maybe I’ll do number
Viola is an extraordinary artist
wick Boseman?
seven or eight or something like that.
because she’s ferociously smart.
Yeah. You can tell when it’s really
But anytime I do a project, I want to
She’s ferociously smart about text
glorious; when you are witnessing
do something very different next.
and about human behavior. There’s
something that is quite magical.
To me, the ambition is to perpetu-
a ferret in her who is just digging and
When Chad was doing the scene
ally put yourself in a state where you
digging and digging to get at what’s
where he cursed God, which was
have to be vulnerable to the material
underneath. Then add on that she’s
physically and emotionally monu-
and to dive in and do something that
an incredibly skilled actor who is
mental, once cut was called, he’d go
is completely and totally different
flawlessly trained. Inside her is this
out, and there were these stairs just
from the last thing that I’ve done. I
deep, powerful, emotional reserve.
outside of where the band was, and
am constantly having to evolve new
he’d just physically collapse. He’d see
muscles and new understanding,
and I talked about was the wear and
me approaching and I’d ask, “You
and digging into another time period
tear of having to perpetually fight for
have time for some notes?” And
or another series of truths, and to
your right to be an artist, to fight for
he'd gesture for me to come over
make myself available to that.
your right to be paid, to fight for your
and give him some notes and then
right to be respected. The physical,
20 minutes later for the next take, he
streaming on Netflix, I said, I’m ready
emotional, and spiritual wear and
would have fully incorporated it. In
to jump off a cliff and fall into deep
tear of having to be a warrior just to
addition to the brilliance of the work,
unknowing waters, and work on
make it through the day. That’s what
he was also on the perpetual journey
something new, because the fun is in
Ma has been doing from a very, very
of discovering and finding new truths
the not knowing and the discovery of
young age, being from the South and
to the material.
the journey. ★
One of the first things that she
The day after Ma Rainey started
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T h e B est O f 2 02 0 | D irectors
DANGEROUS MIND Florian Zeller on set with Anthony Hopkins as the protagonist in The father.
The award-winning French playwright makes his feature directing debut with The Father B Y A N T O N I A B LY T H
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film is Anthony and you had Anthony Hopkins in mind from early on. Is that a coincidence? It's true that when I started to dream about writing the script, the face I had in mind was Anthony's. It sounded a bit unrealistic at first,
Florian Zeller’s film directing debut, The Father, adapted from his Tony-nominated and Molière winning play Le Père, takes the inside perspective of Anthony (Anthony Hopkins)’s slow slide into dementia, as his daughter (Olivia Colman) attempts to care for him. We find ourselves in the hellish hall of mirrors of Anthony’s declining mind as Zeller repeatedly wrongfoots us—is the daughter playing tricks? How can this be a different apartment? How much time has passed?— and we experience his shattering loss of cognition again and again. Here Zeller explains why he always wanted to cast Hopkins, and how the medium of film added to the existing story. 54
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and probably I made the decision to use the Anthony name to make it, at least for myself, a bit more real. It was a way to be absolutely connected to him and to write that script for him, and take into account who he is, because he's such a
COU RT ESY OF SO N Y P I CT UR ES CL ASS I CS
Florian Zeller
The protagonist’s name in the
special personality. I think I've grown
was not an easy task to take. Trying
day I received a call from someone
up with him in mind, as probably
to do something he hasn't done yet,
I didn't know, letting me know that
everyone has, as if we knew him as
trying to be pure emotion and this
Anthony wanted to meet with me. I
part of our family, somehow. It was
vulnerability, it was something that
took a plane to Los Angeles to have
meaningful to me, because I wanted
he hadn't explored yet, cinematically
the audience to experience what it
talking. I think it was a risky choice,
could mean to lose someone you are
and he's an artist still open to put
intimately related to.
himself at risk. This is something that
Also, he's so strong, so powerful, so this man was always in control. I
is, in my opinion, really daring and really admirable.
thought that it would be even more powerful and disturbing and sad to
Did you always plan to make the
see that man losing control. I wrote
play into a film?
the script with this character, this
I would say it was a profound
new character named Anthony, and
desire. That play has been staged
also, because I wanted him to know
in many countries, and I was sur-
that it was written for him, of course.
prised and profoundly moved to
I thought that maybe it could help
see the response of the audience
me to be more convincing.
everywhere, in spite of the local dif-
And I thought that it could help
ferences, the response of the audi-
There are so many films about dementia, and it’s always told the same way, from the outside. It could be very painful. It could be very moving...but in my opinion, it’s always a bit almost boring.
breakfast with him and it was an amazing meeting, because of course I was a bit impressed, because it was Anthony Hopkins and the stakes couldn't be higher for me. But to tell you the truth, after two minutes I knew that it would be almost easy to work with him, because of who he is, because he's humble. And humble for an actor means that he's not here to serve himself, he's here to serve the emotions that you want to share. He is here to serve the director's vision. I knew that he would give me the room to do the film I really wanted to make.
to do what I wanted to do—to play
ence was always the same, meaning
with what is real, and what is not
that they were always waiting for
real. A few days before we shot the
us after every performance, just to
film, Anthony came to me and told
share their own stories... I wanted
me, “Florian, are you certain about
to make that film because I had the
this name? My name, and his date
conviction that it could be some-
of birth is my real date of birth. Are
thing different. I profoundly thought
you certain that it is useful?” He was
that something could be done, only
doubting it. And I said, “Yes, I really
thanks to the cinema, something
want to keep it that way,” because I
that was not possible on stage. And
thought that it could be like a door.
it was to experience subjectively
It could open any time during the
what it means to lose your bearings.
shooting, and to let in his own very
I thought that thanks to the cinema,
personal emotions, and more pre-
to the language of the cinema, it
and so was I, and this is when this
cisely, his own personal feeling of
could be even more unique and even
process of putting the audience
mortality. The challenge was to try
more painful, even more emotion-
in his shoes started. There are so
to explore a new emotional territory.
ally challenging. That's the reason I
many plays or so many films about
I didn't come to him to ask him to
started to dream about making that
dementia, and it's always told in
do what he's known for, in a way. I
film. It was a plan and it was not an
the same way, from the outside. It
wanted him to go into the unknown
easy plan, because I made the deci-
could be very painful. It could be
with me, to explore this place where
sion to do it in English.
very moving. I can quote some films
he is only fragility and insecurity.
You take such a unique approach to representing his confusion, even changing the actors around, so at one point his daughter is played by Olivia Williams. How did you fix on that idea? It came to me when I wrote the play. Actually, I remember that moment. It was more than 10 years ago. Suddenly I had this idea, if it was another actress, what would happen? And suddenly he was absolutely lost
that are very good at that, but in my And then you visualized Hopkins.
opinion, it's always a bit almost bor-
I interviewed him recently and
I remember a friend of mine, when
ing. Meaning that you know where
he said it really did make him
I was sharing my ideas, they were
you are, and you know where you're
address his own mortality.
laughing at me, because it's Sir
going, and that's it. And in the mean-
It's true that, in the end, he was
Anthony Hopkins, it's not an easy
time, you could have an extremely
amazingly generous to the project.
dream to fulfill, but my intuition
convincing performance, but that's
He did his job, but he did more than
was that until someone comes
not enough, in my opinion. I wanted
his job. He gave himself entirely to
and tells you, “It's not possible,” it
this film to be not only a story, I
the story, in my opinion, in a very
means that potentially it is. Most of
wanted this film to be an experience.
generous and uncommon way. I
the time, we are the ones who just
I think that the film adaptation was
admire him a lot, but also because
close the doors of what is possible
the opportunity to try to find a trans-
I think he's really brave, humble and
and what is not possible. I sent the
lation of this confusion, but in a very
brave. He's 83 now. He knew that it
script to Anthony's agent, and one
cinematic way. ★
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T h e B est O f 2 02 0 | D irectors
VITAL HISTORY Shaka King with Daniel Kaluuya as Fred Hampton on the set of Judas and the Black Messiah.
Shaka King With Judas and the Black Messiah, Shaka King tackles a dramatic and unsettling part of American history
★
★
ous attempts to tell his story have stalled in the past. What did it mean for you personally to see
★
My first compelling reason for wanting to make the movie was that it was an opportunity to correct the
Seven years ago, writer, director and producer Shaka King accepted the Film Independent Someone to Watch Award for his quirky comedic debut, Newlyweeds. After years directing shorts and episodes of TV shows Shrill, High Maintenance and People of Earth, the 40-year-old filmmaker returns to the big screen. Collaborating with producers Ryan Coogler and Charles D. King, he tackles the compelling story of how FBI informant William O’Neal (LaKeith Stanfield) infiltrated the Black Panther party and befriended Fred Hampton (Daniel Kaluuya), leading to the deputy chairman’s death in a police raid in 1969. 56
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
record in terms of the misinformation that's been put forth about the Black Panther party, in terms of them being terrorists and focusing on the militancy of their politics, as opposed to focusing on this more holistic vision that they had for bettering the world, through free
COU RT ESY OF WAR N ER BROS .
★
Hampton was killed, and previ-
this film all the way through?
BY NADIA NEOPHY TOU
★
It’s been over 50 years since Fred
healthcare and free breakfast and
address. So ultimately, the process
meeting him. And when I met him, I
access to livable, decent housing,
of collaborating on this with all of
observed those qualities. But I think
and just the number of causes they
these different voices made me, I
in addition to that, you see it in his
championed. So being able to put
feel, a better artist.
other performances, the commit-
forth some of their politics, which are incredibly relevant today obvi-
Your research must have been
ously, was the reason that anytime I
quite extensive? What did you
had my doubts, whether they were
rely on?
related to creative difficulties or
A million books, articles, interviews,
things of that nature, the priority,
books that were out of print. The
the importance—especially after
several hundred dollars [worth of]
having met Fred Hampton Jr. and
books that I bought, just because
having met Akua Njeri—there was
this history isn't widely covered, it's
no option for this not happening. We
intentionally kept from us. But also,
just had too unique and important
you have to understand that you're
an opportunity.
talking about a community that was traumatized, and just quite simply
How did you work with the fam-
traumatized by the U.S. government,
ily’s involvement in the film?
not just the events of Fred Hamp-
It all happened on a case by case
ton's assassination, but the war that
basis. Fred Hampton Jr. was on set
the FBI waged with the COINTEL-
nearly 90% of the time. He joined
PRO [Counterintelligence Program],
the production officially a week
imprisoning so many Panthers, a
into shooting, and from that day
good amount of whom are still in
on, he was on set. I think maybe he
prison now, all these years later.
It was an opportunity to correct the record in terms of the misinformation that’s been put forth about the Black Panther party, in terms of them being terrorists.
ment to the material and his seriousness. I think that is a big part of the reason why. He did the preparation. It's a very hard dialect to nail. We talked exhaustively about it, because it was a fine line to ride. If you listened to his actual speeches, he spoke so fast and there's a Southern inflection in his words, there’s a bit of Chicago too. And then there's also, I suspect... I could be wrong, but I have a number of friends with deviated septums. So they have a very nasal tonality to their voice as well, which he had, which gives it a muffled tonality. So it was like, how do we find that tone where you can understand clearly what he's saying, because it's so important that these words are clearly understood, but
missed two days, tops. He had read
As the film highlights, counter-
the script a million times, many ver-
intelligence in the form of utilizing
sions of the script, and the final one
informants was rampant in terms
he read many, many times. But it's
of what the Bureau was doing. So,
very different reading something
as a result, they're pretty rightfully
for so long, come away from it say-
and then being on set watching it
mistrustful of outsiders, and so there
ing, “Yeah, this guy nailed it”? It was
unfold. There would be things in the
just isn't that much written about
a real, real difficult thing to pull off,
moment that he hadn't considered
this history. It took a lot of research
and I think Daniel did.
that he would now be confronted
on my part and on Will Berson, my
with and it would really push us to
co-writer's part, to get to the truth
How did you finish the film during
change course. Sometimes we could
on this stuff.
the pandemic?
do that, and there were instances
also that you sound enough like Fred so people who know his voice and love this man, and have been waiting for a movie to be made about him
We were able to get a cut together
when we weren't able to do that
From the video footage of Hamp-
before New York shut down... and
because of something, for example,
ton that exists, it’s evident Daniel
then eventually we started working
that we shot prior. If it was going
Kaluuya captures his magnetism.
together remotely.
to affect something that was to be
How did you know he could do it?
shot later, we would always try to
I just knew. I knew intuitively that he
And now maybe more people can
consider it. Sometimes we could
was the guy. And when I met him, he
see it virtually.
accommodate. Sometimes we
possessed just certain qualities that
Look, I think about it like this, the
couldn’t. Sometimes it just made
people who knew Fred Hampton
Black Panther party was all about
scenes better.
would talk about—how mature he
getting what they felt the people
was, but also how charismatic. And
needed, to the people, as free and
opportunity to learn how to make
you hear the youthful charisma in
as easy as possible. And so, in the
sideways moves, which wasn't
the way he presents his ideas, less
middle of the pandemic, there’s no
something that I had to do just to
so in the ideas themselves. He was
justification for denying people. As
satisfy Fred Hampton Jr.'s desires. It
very funny. He was profane. And
a person who really needed TV and
was something I had to do to satisfy
Daniel is the same, just that mix of
movies at different points during this
studio and producer notes, that I
gravitas and youthful charisma. It's
year after a hard day, it’s the only
might not necessarily agree with, but
rare that you find that in one person.
way. In some ways it’s the right thing
that they thought were important to
I was writing this for Daniel prior to
to do for people. ★
For me as a director, it was an
D E A D L I N E .C O M / AWA R D S L I N E
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